Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir drew international criticism, particularly among Palestinians, after making a visit to the Temple Mount holy site in Jerusalem that some have considered an "unprecedented provocation."
The lawmaker, who has called for a harder line towards the Palestinian, walked around the site while being surrounded by police personnel. There are competing claims to the compound that is bitterly divided between Israel and Palestinians.
Itamar Ben Gvir's Visit to the Temple Mount
Tensions between the two sides have risen with the advent of Israel's new nationalistic government. Ben Gvir's visit to the holy site is his first public act since the government, which is led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was sworn in five days ago.
The temple, which is a hilltop site, is considered to be the most sacred place in Judaism and the third holiest in the Islamic religion. It is also known to Jews as the Temple Mount, the site of two Biblical temples, and to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif, the site of Muhammad's ascent to Heaven, as per BBC.
Furthermore, the entire compound of Temple Mount is considered to be al-Aqsa Mosque by Muslims. Jews and other non-Muslims are allowed to go inside the compound but are not allowed to pray. However, Palestinians see visits by Jews as attempts to change the delicate status quo.
The national security minister, who is also the leader of the Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party, has long said that he wishes to bring a change to the rules to allow Jewish Worship at the site. There was also no indication that Ben Gvir prayed at the holy site during his visit on Tuesday.
Following Ben Gvir's visit to the Temple Mount, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry released a statement. They said that they strongly condemned "extremist Ben Gvir's storming of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque."
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Rising Tensions
According to CNN, the ministry added that they held Netanyahu responsible for its consequences on the conflict and the region. The Israeli national security minister was previously convicted for supporting terrorism and inciting anti-Arab racism.
The Palestinian militant group that controls Gaza, Hamas, warned that the Israeli national security minister's visit to the Temple Mount would be a "precursor for the ignition of the region." In response, Ben Giv posted on Twitter, saying that the Israeli government will not surrender to what he called a "vile murdering organization."
He added that the holy site was open to everyone, saying that if Hamas thinks they can threaten him, he will let them understand that the times have already changed. In the so-called status quo agreement, which dates back to Ottoman rule of Jerusalem, non-Muslims are only allowed to visit the area at certain times.
On the other hand, German authorities urged everyone to "avoid actions that could increase tensions." They added that the status quo has helped to maintain the fragile peace and security around the holy sites. Berlin's ambassador to Israel, Steffen Seibert, posted on Twitter that they wanted everyone to avoid conducting actions that could worsen the situation or trigger violent responses, the Times of Israel reported.
