Far-right Israeli minister prays at Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy site, breaching decades-old agreement
An extreme right Israeli minister sparked outsourcing Sunday after leaving a group of faithful in prayer on the most sensitive sacred site in Jerusalem, despite a decades old agreement that prohibits Jews from worshiping there.
The Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir, who has already been convicted of having supported terrorism and inciting anti-arab racism in Israel, commemorated Tisha B’Av, a Jewish day of mourning, in the compound of the Al Aqsa mosque, known to the Jews under the name of Mount temple. On Tisha B’AV, the Jews mark the destruction of two ancient temples which once stood on earth.
During his stay, he called on his country to “conquer” Gaza and “encourage” the Palestinians to leave the enclave.
The complex is the most holy site in Judaism, which the Jews are confronted in prayer. It is also the third most sacred site in Islam.
Anyone can visit the site, but only Muslims are allowed to pray to it, according to an understanding known as the “status quo”, which has existed since Israel captured the old town of Jerusalem in Jordan in 1967.
Ben Gvir visited the complex several times before, including on the previous commemorations of Tisha B’AV, but did not Before, led a congregation in prayer there.
The Palestinian Ministry of Religious Affairs quickly condemned Ben Gvir, calling him “extremist” and saying that the move “does not obviously hold the feelings of Muslims around the world, not only in Palestine”.
The Islamic Holy Sites have become subject to “daily violations of the groups of settlers operating under the protection of a right -wing government which actively works to take control of the Islamic and Christian Saints sites thanks to a clear and systematic plan,” the ministry said in a statement.
Jordan, who administers the Saint site, and Saudi Arabia also condemned Ben Gir’s actions. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Jordan described the incident as a “blatant violation of international humanitarian law, an unacceptable provocation and a convicted escalation”.
Hamas called the movement “serious and growing crime against the mosque”.
The Palestinians want East Jerusalem, where the compound is, as the capital of their future state. The majority of the international community consider that the eastern sector of the city was under Israeli occupation.
Later Sunday, the office of the Israeli Prime Minister (PMO) said in a statement that his “policy of maintaining the status quo on Mount Temple had not changed and will not change”.
In the past, the PMO stressed that the policy concerning the site is determined by the Israeli government and its Prime Minister, not individuals.
On Sunday on the site, Ben Gvir prayed “for the complete victory of Israel in the war and for the safe return of all hostages,” said his office.
“It is from here that a message must be sent: to conquer the entire Gaza Strip, declare sovereignty on all Gaza, eliminate each member of Hamas and encourage voluntary emigration,” said the minister in a video recorded in the complex. “It is only in this way that we will bring the hostages back and win the war.”
Earlier this week, Ben Gvir was declared personalized non-grata of the Netherlands for having aroused violence against the Palestinians, pleading for the expansion of the illegal colonies and calling for “ethnic cleaning in the Gaza Strip”, wrote Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Caspar Veldkamp in a letter.
This came after Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom imposed sanctions for it, as well as the Minister of Israeli Finance, Bezalel Smotrich, in June.
