Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has provoked widespread outrage by praying at a highly contentious holy site in occupied East Jerusalem, infringing upon a decades-old agreement governing access to one of the most sensitive religious locations in the world. Photographs and videos capturing Ben-Gvir at the site, which Muslims refer to as Haram al-Sharif (Noble Sanctuary) and Jews as the Temple Mount, show him leading Jewish prayers on the grounds of the al-Aqsa Mosque compound. While Jewish visitors have been permitted to enter, they have traditionally been barred from praying there.
An official statement from the Israeli Prime Minister's office reinforced that there was no amendment to Israel’s policy maintaining the status quo, which permits only Muslim worship within the compound. Yet the act has been condemned as "an unacceptable provocation" by Jordan, which serves as the custodian of the site. In response, Hamas characterized Ben-Gvir’s actions as exacerbating the ongoing aggressions faced by Palestinians, while a spokesperson for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas called the visit a breach of all acceptable limits.
The significance of the site is profound; for Jews, it represents the location of the two Biblical temples, while for Muslims, it is the third holiest site, believed to be the place from which the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven. Historically, Israel gained control of the area during the 1967 Middle East War, but under the status quo arrangement, Jordan retains its custodial role, with Israel responsible for security and access.
Palestinians have voiced concerns that Israel is taking measures to undermine these established arrangements, noting an increase in instances where Jewish visitors have prayed at the compound without intervention from Israeli police. The Waqf, the Islamic endowment that administers the site, reported that Ben-Gvir was one of 1,250 Jews who visited the compound on that recent Sunday morning.
Ben-Gvir, a far-right figure overseeing the police, has visited the site before; however, reports from the Times of Israel indicate it was his first occasion openly praying there. Accompanied by police presence, he expressed his views at the site, referencing alarming video released by Hamas showing Israeli hostages in poor condition and voicing demands for their return. Furthermore, he reiterated calls for Israel to occupy the entirety of the Gaza Strip and suggested what he termed "voluntary emigration" of Palestinians, a proposal that many experts warn could lead to forced displacement and potentially constitute a war crime. Ben-Gvir’s inflammatory rhetoric has previously led to UK sanctions due to his history of inciting violence against Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank.
