Israeli minister Itamar Ben Gvir drew criticism from various quarters after he, along with hundreds of Israelies, entered Jerusalem‘s Al-Aqsa mosque compound and performed prayers — this comes as the Middle East remains on edge amid fear of anticipated large-scale Iran and Lebanon attacks in the wake of Hamas chief’s assassination.
Ben Gvir and some 2,250 other Israelis on Tuesday entered the compound in groups, singing Jewish hymns under the protection of Israeli police, an official from the Waqf, the Jordanian body that is the custodian of the site, told news agency AFP.
“Minister Ben Gvir, instead of maintaining the status quo at the mosque is supervising the Judaisation operation and trying to change the situation inside Al-Aqsa mosque,” the official told AFP on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak on the issue.
Israeli police also “imposed restrictions” on Muslim worshippers trying to enter the mosque, he said.
‘We must win this war’
Ben Gvir posted a video statement on social media platform X, which he filmed inside the compound himself, vowing to win the war in Gaza.
“We must win this war. We must win and not go to the talks in Doha or Cairo,” he said, in an apparent reference to US-backed negotiations for a truce and hostage release deal for Gaza scheduled to resume on August 15.
“We can defeat Hamas.. we must bring them down to their knees,” Ben Gvir said.
Gvir garners condemnation from West
Ben Gvir garnered global condemnation after the mosque visit as he also vowed to “defeat Hamas” in Gaza in a video he filmed during the visit.
The European Union (EU) condemned “provocations” by Gvirm and called it “violation of status quo”.
“The EU strongly condemns the provocations by Israeli Min. Ben Gvir who, during his visit to the Holy Sites, advocated for the violation of the status quo,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell wrote on X.
France’s foreign ministry also stepped in to condemn Gvir for defying the ban on Jewish prayer at the Al-Aqsa mosque, calling it an unacceptable “provocation”.
The United Nations also slammed the minister, calling his visit “unduly provocative“.
US urges Netanyahu to prevent ‘provocative actions’
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to prevent further “provocative actions” after Gvir’s Al-Aqsa visit.
Strongly criticising the Israeli minister’s visit, Blinken said that Gvir showed “blatant disregard” for the status quo.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office has made clear that the actions of Minister Ben Gvir are inconsistent with Israeli policy. We will look to the government of Israel to prevent similar incidents in the future,” Blinken said.
“These provocative actions only exacerbate tensions at a pivotal moment when all focus should be on the ongoing diplomatic efforts to achieve a ceasefire agreement and secure the release of all hostages and create the conditions for broader regional stability,” he said.
Why the controversy?
Al-Aqsa mosque has been a point of contention for a long as it is the third holiest site in Islam and also the most sacred in Judaism as Jews revere the site of the ancient temple destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.
Jews and non-Muslims are allowed to visit the mosque compound in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem during predefined hours but are not allowed to display religious symbols or offer prayers.
Interestingly, this is not the first time that Ben Gvir has defied the Israeli government’s ban on Jewish prayer at the Al-Aqsa compound.
Last month, Ben Gvir said he had prayed inside the mosque compound against the rules that allow Jewish visits but forbid prayer.
Ben Gvir and some 2,250 other Israelis on Tuesday entered the compound in groups, singing Jewish hymns under the protection of Israeli police, an official from the Waqf, the Jordanian body that is the custodian of the site, told news agency AFP.
“Minister Ben Gvir, instead of maintaining the status quo at the mosque is supervising the Judaisation operation and trying to change the situation inside Al-Aqsa mosque,” the official told AFP on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak on the issue.
Israeli police also “imposed restrictions” on Muslim worshippers trying to enter the mosque, he said.
‘We must win this war’
Ben Gvir posted a video statement on social media platform X, which he filmed inside the compound himself, vowing to win the war in Gaza.
“We must win this war. We must win and not go to the talks in Doha or Cairo,” he said, in an apparent reference to US-backed negotiations for a truce and hostage release deal for Gaza scheduled to resume on August 15.
“We can defeat Hamas.. we must bring them down to their knees,” Ben Gvir said.
Gvir garners condemnation from West
Ben Gvir garnered global condemnation after the mosque visit as he also vowed to “defeat Hamas” in Gaza in a video he filmed during the visit.
The European Union (EU) condemned “provocations” by Gvirm and called it “violation of status quo”.
“The EU strongly condemns the provocations by Israeli Min. Ben Gvir who, during his visit to the Holy Sites, advocated for the violation of the status quo,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell wrote on X.
France’s foreign ministry also stepped in to condemn Gvir for defying the ban on Jewish prayer at the Al-Aqsa mosque, calling it an unacceptable “provocation”.
The United Nations also slammed the minister, calling his visit “unduly provocative“.
US urges Netanyahu to prevent ‘provocative actions’
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to prevent further “provocative actions” after Gvir’s Al-Aqsa visit.
Strongly criticising the Israeli minister’s visit, Blinken said that Gvir showed “blatant disregard” for the status quo.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office has made clear that the actions of Minister Ben Gvir are inconsistent with Israeli policy. We will look to the government of Israel to prevent similar incidents in the future,” Blinken said.
“These provocative actions only exacerbate tensions at a pivotal moment when all focus should be on the ongoing diplomatic efforts to achieve a ceasefire agreement and secure the release of all hostages and create the conditions for broader regional stability,” he said.
Why the controversy?
Al-Aqsa mosque has been a point of contention for a long as it is the third holiest site in Islam and also the most sacred in Judaism as Jews revere the site of the ancient temple destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.
Jews and non-Muslims are allowed to visit the mosque compound in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem during predefined hours but are not allowed to display religious symbols or offer prayers.
Interestingly, this is not the first time that Ben Gvir has defied the Israeli government’s ban on Jewish prayer at the Al-Aqsa compound.
Last month, Ben Gvir said he had prayed inside the mosque compound against the rules that allow Jewish visits but forbid prayer.