Israeli minister sparks anger for praying at Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa mosque

Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem on Sunday and prayed there, violating a decades-old arrangement covering one of the most sensitive sites in the Middle East. Photos and videos of his visit show him leading Jewish prayers at the compound, which is known by Jews as the […]

Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem on Sunday and prayed there, violating a decades-old arrangement covering one of the most sensitive sites in the Middle East.

Photos and videos of his visit show him leading Jewish prayers at the compound, which is known by Jews as the Temple Mount, in occupied East Jerusalem.

Praying at the site breaks a long-time arrangement that allows Jews to visit the site but not pray.

Jordan, custodian of the site, called Ben-Gvir’s latest visit “an unacceptable provocation”.

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Ben Gvir’s action was described by the Israeli left-wing newspaper Haaretz as a “provocation”.

“The foreign ministry expresses the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s condemnation in the strongest terms of the repeated provocative practices by officials of the Israeli occupation authorities against al-Aqsa mosque,” Saudi Arabia said in a statement on X.

“The Kingdom affirms that such practices fuel the conflict in the region.”

Hamas called it “a deepening of the ongoing aggressions against our Palestinian people”, while a spokesperson for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said the visit “crossed all red lines”.

The site is the holiest place for Jews because it was the site of two Biblical temples. It is the third holiest place for Muslims, who believe it was where the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven.

It was captured by Israel from Jordan in the 1967 Middle East war. Under the status quo, Jordan was allowed to continue its historical role as custodian of the site, while Israel assumed control of security and access.

The Waqf, the Islamic endowment which runs the site, said Ben-Gvir was among 1,250 Jews who ascended the compound on Sunday morning.

In a statement filmed at the compound, Ben Gvir said that Israel should respond to the “horror videos” of two Israeli hostages released by Palestinian militant groups this week by “extending Israeli sovereignty over the entire Gaza Strip” the same way it imposed it on the Temple Mount.