A far-right Israeli minister led hundreds of Jewish Israelis to Jerusalem’s most contested holy site, many defying the Israeli government’s longstanding ban on Jewish prayer there.
National Defense Minister Itamar Ben-Khir’s visit to the al-Aqsa mosque compound, known by Jews as the Temple Mount, has been condemned as provocation by Palestinian leaders, the United States, France, the UN and several Arab countries.
“Our policy is to implement Jewish prayer,” Mr Ben-Gvir said in a video.
But the Israeli prime minister’s office insisted there would be no change to the current deal, which allows only Muslim worship there.
The site is a very sacred place for Jews as it is the site of two biblical temples. It is the third holiest site for Muslims, who believe it is where the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven.
Located in occupied East Jerusalem, it was captured by Israel from Jordan in the 1967 Middle East War. Under the terms, Jordan was allowed to continue its historic role as the site’s custodian, while Israel assumed security and access control.
Palestinians accuse Israel of taking steps to undermine the arrangements and complain that in recent years Jewish visitors have often been seen praying unhindered by Israeli police.
Videos shared on social media on Tuesday showed Jewish Israelis singing the Israeli national anthem, some holding Israeli flags, while others bowed themselves in prayer at the edge of the holy site.
Itamar Ben Gvir, who visited the compound with Israeli police protection, said there had been “great progress” in Israel’s “governance and sovereignty”. “Our policy is to implement Jewish prayer,” he continued.
He also declared that Israel must “win the war” in the Gaza Strip and not engage in talks on a cease-fire and hostage-release deal to “bring Hamas to its knees.”
Later, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the incident was “out of proportion”.
“Israel’s policy on the Temple Mount has not changed; This is how it has been, this is how it will be,” it emphasized.
Responding to the statement, Mr Ben-Ghir said his own policy was to “enforce freedom of worship for Jews everywhere”.
“There is no law on the Temple Mount or anywhere else in Israel that allows racist discrimination against Jews,” he added.
However, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry expressed grave concern over what it termed “a dangerous escalation resulting from attacks by extremist settlers on the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.”
“The ministry will continue its political efforts to address these provocations at various levels, warning of their dire consequences in the theater of conflict and the region as a whole,” a statement said.
The Waqf, the Jordanian Islamic foundation that manages the site, said more than 2,000 Israelis had entered the compound and appealed to Muslims around the world to help maintain the status quo.
Jordan’s foreign ministry said the incident reflected “the insistence of the Israeli government and its extremist members to violate international law and Israel’s obligations as an occupying power.”
Egypt and Saudi Arabia also said the incident violated international law, with the former saying Ben-Khir was trying to thwart efforts to broker a Gaza ceasefire deal.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said in a statement that Mr Ben-Givir’s visit “shows a flagrant disregard for the historic position regarding the holy sites in Jerusalem.
“These provocative actions heighten tensions at a critical moment when ongoing diplomatic efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement, release all hostages and create conditions for broader regional stability must be focused on,” the US top diplomat added.
The French Foreign Ministry condemned Mr Ben-Ghir’s visit, saying “this new provocation is unacceptable”.
United Nations spokesman Farhan Haq called the incident an “unhelpful and unnecessary provocation” and said “we are against any attempt to change the status quo inside the holy sites.”
