The newly appointed Minister of Internal Security of Israel, Itamar Ben-Gvir, visited the al-Aqsa mosque complex in Jerusalem this Tuesday (3). The visit, however, although brief, generated a diplomatic crisis and a wave of statements contrary to what was seen as a provocation against Palestinians.
“The Israeli government of which I am a member will not surrender to a vile murderous organization,” Ben-Gvir wrote in a Twitter post. “The Temple Mount [nome judeu do complexo] it’s open to everyone, and if Hamas thinks threats are going to stop me, let them understand that times have changed. There is a government in Jerusalem!”
During the 15 minutes he walked through the complex, the minister was surrounded by a security team. According to Israeli authorities, his visit follows the agreement that provides that non-Muslims can visit the mosque, as long as they do not pray there.
In addition to the statement against Hamas, a faction that Israel considers terrorist and that dominates the Gaza Strip, Ben-Gvir’s act is part of a context of growing tension in the West Bank.
Hours before the visit, Israeli soldiers shot dead a 15-year-old Palestinian teenager, according to Palestinian officials and witnesses. The Israeli Army confirmed that “one person was hit” – without giving details about the victim – in response to “explosives, incendiary bombs and stones thrown at the soldiers”.
Palestine and at least three countries referred to the minister’s visit as an attack. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said it “strongly condemns the attack on the Al-Aqsa mosque by the extremist minister Ben-Gvir and views it as an unprecedented provocation and a dangerous escalation of the conflict”.
The United Arab Emirates, with which Israel signed an agreement to normalize diplomatic relations in 2020, also condemned the act. Saudi Arabia’s diplomacy did the same and, without naming the minister, called his visit a “provocative action”.
Jordan, which is officially the custodian of al-Aqsa Mosque and other holy places in Jerusalem, condemned Ben-Gvir’s visit “in the most severe terms” and said it amounted to a “violation of the sanctity” of the site. , as well as international law and the “historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem”.
With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
