[Global Issue+] Where is 'Seongjeonsan' visited by Israel's far-right minister... sparking backlash even from Saudi Arabia

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The area around the Temple Mount located in the Old City of Jerusalem. The 'Dome of the Rock' temple, covered in gold and built in the center of the Temple Mount, is famous. Jerusalem=EPA·Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Military tensions across the Middle East have significantly escalated around the visit of Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's Minister of National Security, to the Jerusalem 'Temple Mount.' Even Arab countries that have normalized diplomatic relations with Israel strongly opposed the visit, raising concerns that Israel's regional isolation may deepen once again.

The central area of the Temple Mount, a shared holy site for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, has long been subject to restrictions to ease tensions among the three religions. High-ranking officials have refrained from visiting, and religious activities such as prayer have been limited in the area. However, the new right-wing coalition government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is overturning these practices and seeking to fully incorporate the site as a Jewish holy place, which is expected to lead to ongoing conflicts, both large and small.

Concerns Over Nullification of Abraham Accords... U.S. Position Also Difficult

Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's National Security Minister, attending a cabinet meeting on the 3rd (local time). Jerusalem=Photo by Reuters and Yonhap News

According to CNN on the 7th (local time), Ben-Gvir’s visit to the Temple Mount has increased the risk of breaking the 'Abraham Accords,' the normalization agreements signed in 2020 between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain. Recent polls show that over 70% of people in Arab League countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Bahrain hold negative views of the Abraham Accords.

Prime Minister Netanyahu’s scheduled visit to the UAE was also canceled. Originally, Netanyahu was preparing for talks with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan next week, but the meeting was abruptly canceled without any clear reason following Ben-Gvir’s visit to the Temple Mount. The Israeli government has denied any connection between Ben-Gvir’s visit and the cancellation, but since most Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, have opposed the visit, it is interpreted as related.

Ben-Gvir’s forced visit to the Temple Mount on the 3rd sparked controversy both inside and outside Israel. The Temple Mount is a shared holy site for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, located in East Jerusalem, which is currently designated as Palestinian territory under international law. Israel has occupied and effectively controls this area since the Middle East wars.

However, even within Israeli politics, visits by high-ranking officials to this area have been strictly taboo. Because the site could significantly impact the overall Middle East situation, there was a reluctance to escalate the issue into a security problem. Therefore, prayer and religious activities have been prohibited on the Temple Mount regardless of the religion of the worshippers.

Ben-Gvir broke this taboo by visiting the Temple Mount and advocating for allowing Jewish prayer and worship within the holy site, which provoked backlash from Middle Eastern countries. Even the U.S. government expressed concern. Ned Price, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, said at a press conference shortly after Ben-Gvir’s visit, "This could have led to violent clashes," and expressed "deep concern."

The Holy Site Originating from Three Religions... The Powder Keg of the Middle East

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

The Temple Mount is a shared holy site for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and has long been called the 'powder keg of the Middle East' due to the complex history intertwined with the three religions and various countries.

According to the BBC, Israeli tradition holds that the Temple Mount is the place where heaven and earth were first created and where Adam, the first human, was formed. It is also known as the site of Abraham’s altar, the patriarch considered the ancestor of Israel and major Middle Eastern peoples.

In 967 BCE, King Solomon of the Davidic dynasty in Israel built the first Jewish temple, marking the beginning of the site's history as a temple. After repeated destruction and restoration, the 'Dome of the Rock,' built in 691 and covered with gold on its roof, remains today. In Islam, the rock on the Temple Mount is revered as the place where the religion’s founder, Muhammad, ascended to heaven.

Christianity built churches on the site during the Roman Empire’s rule, and during the Crusades, it was regarded as a sacred site, making it a shared holy place for the three religions.

The problem is that as Israel’s right-wing shift intensifies, there is a growing demand among Jewish ultra-nationalists to build a third temple here. They argue that Christians and Muslims should be expelled and that Jerusalem should be restored as a Jewish holy city. According to Jewish tradition, the third temple will be rebuilt when the Messiah, the savior, descends.

Ben-Gvir is a leading figure among these Jewish ultra-nationalists and has been called a dangerous far-right populist both inside and outside Israel. His appointment as Israel’s Minister of National Security has raised concerns that serious conflicts may erupt again throughout Israel and the Middle East.