Far-right Israeli minister Ben-Gvir makes inflammatory Al-Aqsa visit
Al Jazeera
Israel’s security minister toured a courtyard of Al-Aqsa Mosque in provocative move that could threaten ceasefire talks.
Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has visited the Al-Aqsa Mosque, a flashpoint holy site in Jerusalem’s Old City.
Tensions over the site in occupied East Jerusalem have fuelled past rounds of Israeli-Palestinian violence, and Ben-Gvir’s visit on Thursday threatens to disrupt sensitive talks aimed at reaching a ceasefire in Israel’s more-than-nine-month war on Gaza.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned the visit as a “provocative intrusion” that endangered the fragile status quo regarding the Jerusalem compound.
The mosque is situated in the Al-Aqsa compound, the third holiest site in the world for Muslims. The site is also revered by Jews, who refer to it as the Temple Mount.
Under the status quo, non-Muslims may visit the site but cannot pray. However, Jewish visitors have been increasingly defying the ban, something Palestinians consider provocation, fearing that Israel intends to take over the site.
