The Palestinians and the Israeli opposition have condemned Itamar Ben-Gvir’s visit to the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.
15:38•Updated 15:59
Israel’s new far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has visited the Temple Mount in Jerusalem today. It was reportedly his first public appearance as a minister.
– The Israeli government is not going to give in to an organization of murderers, a despicable terrorist organization. The Temple Mount is the most important place for the people of Israel. The Temple Mount is open to everyone, Ben-Gvir said during his visit secured by a police convoy.
Located in disputed East Jerusalem, the Temple Mount is one of the most volatile places in the entire Middle East. It is the holiest place in Judaism and also one of the holiest places in Islam. The Rock Mosque and al-Aqsa Mosque are located on the mountain.
Technically, the control of the Temple Mount itself belongs to the royal house of Jordan, but in practice the area is under the control of Israel. However, Israel restricts the visit of Jews and other non-Muslims to the Temple Mount to avoid provocations. Visiting the mountain is permitted, but Jews are prohibited from praying in the area.
In 2000, the former prime minister of Israel and at that time the leader of the right-wing opposition Ariel Sharon visited al-Aqsa mosque on the Temple Mount. The visit triggered violence that eventually led to the second intifada, the Palestinian uprising.
Despite this, Ben-Gvir has demanded freer access for Jews to the Temple Mount and previously opposed the ban on Jewish prayer.
For the Palestinian population, the Al-Aqsa mosque is an important symbol of their own state. However, the two-state model looks increasingly distant with the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the formation of an exceptional right-wing government.
Criticism from the Palestinians and the Israeli opposition
Jordan, which is responsible for managing the Temple Mount, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry, the extremist organization Hamas that controls the Gaza Strip, and numerous Arab countries have condemned Ben-Gvir’s visit.
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh called on the Palestinians to “oppose the raid on al-Aqsa Mosque”. He accused Ben-Gvir of trying to turn the place into a “Jewish temple”.
– The continuation of such behavior will lead all parties to a major confrontation, the spokesman for the extremist organization Hamas commented on the incident.
Ben-Gvir responded to the comments by stating that Hamas cannot threaten him.
However, the visit also received criticism in Israel. Opposition leader and former Prime Minister of Israel Jair Lapid found the visit very imprudent.
– It is a deliberate provocation that puts lives at risk and costs lives, Lapid stated.
The US ambassador to Israel also said that he was concerned about the visit and that he had discussed the matter with the Israeli government.
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Source: Reuters