- By Shivangi Sharma
- Wed, 14 Aug 2024 02:32 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Al Aqsa Mosque Row: Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir led a crowd of nearly 1,500 people into the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem on Tuesday and performed prayers. Although Jewish religious practices are prohibited at the Al Aqsa Mosque site, Israeli police reportedly provided protection, including for illegal settlers in the West Bank.
Itamar Ben Gvir, who has frequently disregarded the Israeli government's longstanding ban on Jews from performing prayers at the Al Aqsa mosque, also filmed a video and pledged to "defeat Hamas" in Gaza during his visit.
While Jews and other non-Muslims are permitted to visit the mosque compound in East Jerusalem during designated hours, they are not allowed to pray or display religious symbols.
Ben-Gvir also said that Jews should be allowed to pray at the Al-Aqsa mosque, known to Jews as Temple Mount. This statement by Gvir has launched a fresh challenge to the rules covering one of the most sensitive sites in the Middle East.
The visit prompted a response from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office, which issued a statement clarifying that Ben-Gvir could not implement new policies at the site.
"No minister, including the National Security Minister, has a private policy," the statement read. It stressed that the visit "deviated from the status quo" and reiterated that Israel's policy regarding the site "has not changed and will not change."
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also condemned the visit, warning of the "consequences of the dangerous provocations of the terrorist colonialist invasions in the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque."
Israel Faces Global Backlash
Ben-Gvir’s storming of the Al Aqsa Mosque complex with thousands of Jews received major backlash from the international community. Jordan’s foreign ministry condemned the “storming” of the mosque, calling it a “flagrant violation of international law”.
“The continual violations of the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem and its sanctities require a clear and firm international position that condemns these violations,” Jordan Ministry spokesperson Sufyan al Qudah said in a statement.
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) also “strongly condemned” the storming and said it was a “provocation to the feelings of Muslims all over the world”. European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell posted on X that the bloc “condemns the provocations” by Ben Gvir.
France also condemned the visit, saying it was in violation of the historic status quo of the holy places in Jerusalem. "This new provocation is unacceptable. France calls on the Israeli government to take all necessary measures to ensure respect for the historic status quo of the holy places in Jerusalem," the French foreign ministry said in a statement.
Turkey also slammed the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque and said that this move will further “escalate tensions” in the region.
“The storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque by hundreds of radical Israelis, including ministers, under police protection is a provocation that violates the historical status of Jerusalem and will further increase escalation in our region,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.