 "Photo shows Ben Gvir praying on Temple Mount (Source: Screengrab of video posted by X/Kann_news)")
Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir on Wednesday (April 2) set the cat among the pigeons by visiting the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, drawing stern criticism from Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Hamas. According to Israeli media, the minister walked up straight to the flashpoint site, holy to both Jews and Muslims. His visit came shortly after nearly two-week period of Ramadan, during which Jews are prohibited from visiting the Temple Mount.
The Temple Mount is the holiest site in Judaism, as it is considered home to the two biblical Temples. For Muslims, it is called the Noble Sanctuary and houses the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam’s third-holiest site.
Contentious developments regarding the Al-Aqsa Mosque from Israeli side often trigger strong emotions and even violent reactions from Palestinian Muslims.
Ben Gvir is known for publicising his visits to the religious sites. He has also been pushing for changing the decades-old unwritten status quo which prohibits Jews from worshipping on the Temple Mount. The minister has even disputed PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s clarification that the status-quo still remains in place.
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Ben Gvir’s visit to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound drew strong criticism from ultra-Orthodox Member of Knesset (MK) Moshe Gafni (United Torah Judaism), who said the visit amounted to “an attack on the sanctity of the holiest place”.
The visit “does not demonstrate sovereignty; on the contrary, it constitutes desecration and causes unnecessary incitement in the Muslim world,” he posted on X, appealing to the minister to “stop ascending the Temple Mount.”
Saudi Arabia also condemned the move. In a statement, the foreign ministry said, “The Kingdom reiterates its denunciation of the continued blatant Israeli attacks on the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque.”
Jordan too criticised the move, labelling his visit as a “dangerous escalation.” The Hashemite kingdom described the ascent as a “storming” and “unacceptable provocation” that stands to further enflame tensions in the region.
Palestinian militant group Hamas took the opportunity to call on Palestinians to “escalate their confrontation” with Israel “in defence of our land and our holy sites, foremost among them the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.”
(With inputs from agencies)