Israeli Far-Right Minister Visits Islamic Holy Site... Strong Backlash from Palestine and Others

Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's National Security Minister, visiting the ancient Jerusalem holy site. (Photo by Israel National Security Agency)

[Asia Economy Reporter Chunhee Lee] The far-right Israeli Minister of National Security faced strong backlash from Palestinians and the Arab world after forcibly visiting a holy site in East Jerusalem despite Palestinian opposition.

According to local media on the 3rd (local time), Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's Minister of National Security, visited the holy site in East Jerusalem for about 25 minutes in the morning accompanied by security personnel. At the site, he said, "The Temple Mount (the Jewish name for the holy site) is the most important place for Israelis," adding, "We have protected the freedom of movement for Muslims and Christians, and those who pose threats will be dealt with strictly."

The East Jerusalem holy site he visited was occupied by Israel following the 1967 Six-Day War. Within the compound is the Al-Aqsa Mosque, one of the three holiest sites in Islam. Known as the "Noble Sanctuary" by Muslims and the "Temple Mount" by Jews, this place is a shared holy site for Islam, Judaism, and Christianity, but only Muslims are allowed to pray and worship there. Jews can visit but are only permitted to pray and worship at the Western Wall, known as the "Wailing Wall."

Ben-Gvir has long argued that the rules should be changed to allow Jews to freely pray and worship within the holy site compound. As a far-right politician with anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian tendencies, his announcement last week after taking office to visit the holy site prompted backlash from armed groups such as Hamas.

Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip, issued a statement the day before warning that "(Ben-Gvir's) visit to the holy site will escalate tensions." However, Minister Ben-Gvir responded, "Our government will not succumb to Hamas's threats," adding, "The Temple Mount is open to everyone."

On the 3rd, Israeli police are providing security for Jewish visitors visiting the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
[Photo by AP Yonhap News]

Despite the warnings, Ben-Gvir's visit to the holy site was carried out, prompting unified opposition not only from Hamas but also from the Palestinian Authority and Jordan, which manages the site. The Palestinian Authority's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement strongly condemning "Ben-Gvir's surprise visit to the Al-Aqsa Mosque," calling it "an unprecedented provocation and a dangerously reckless escalation of conflict."

Jordan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which holds custodianship over the Al-Aqsa Mosque, also condemned the "surprise visit and violation of the site's dignity in the strongest terms."

Voices of criticism also emerged within Israel. Yair Lapid, a member of the Knesset who recently stepped down as Prime Minister, criticized on Twitter, "This happened in a situation where a weak prime minister had no choice but to entrust the most explosive place in the Middle East to the most irresponsible person in the Middle East."