Warnings of unrest have led Israel’s new national security minister to enter the occupied East Jerusalem Al Aqsa Mosque complex.
The local media reported that on Tuesday, Itamar Ben Gvir surprised everyone by showing up at the location with security personnel.
The Ynet news site conveyed pictures of Ben-Gvir visiting the site under weighty security on Tuesday.
Ben Gvir was quoted as saying that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s new government would “not succumb to Hamas threats.”
He continued, “We maintain our freedom of movement there because Temple Mount is the most important site for the people of Israel.”
Al Aqsa is the third holiest site in the world for Muslims. Jews, on the other hand, refer to the area as the Temple Mount, claiming that it was once home to two Jewish temples.
Prior, Ben-Gvir supposedly dropped the visit to Al Aqsa anticipated for this present week after a call with Benjamin Netanyahu, who just retook the public authority reins as state leader.
Israeli media report that Ben-Gvir’s visit was kept secret and coordinated with police.
ממשלת ישראל שאני חבר בה לא תיכנע לארגון מרצחים שפל. הר הבית פתוח לכולם ואם החמאס חושב שאם הוא יאיים עליי זה ירתיע אותי, שיבינו שהשתנו הזמנים. יש ממשלה בירושלים! pic.twitter.com/vgDYBYacJG
— איתמר בן גביר (@itamarbengvir) January 3, 2023
‘Unprecedented provocation’
Ben-Gvir’s Tuesday visit to the Al Aqsa compound has been condemned by the Palestine Foreign Ministry as an “unprecedented provocation.”
Hamas, a Palestinian organization, had previously stated that it would hold Israel accountable for any outcomes of Ben Gvir’s planned visit.
Abdel-Latif Al Qanoua, a Hamas spokesperson, stated in a statement, “Any escalation in Al Aqsa Mosque will explode the situation and the occupation government will be responsible for this.”
Ben Gvir reportedly advised Netanyahu not to give in to Hamas’ threats regarding his visit.
https://twitter.com/AJEnglish/status/1610173541323874309
Wave of escalation
Ben Gvir has advocated for Palestinians’ expulsion and holds views on the far right. He has stormed the Al Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem with Israeli settlers on multiple occasions.
After opening an office in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, the far-right politician also contributed to an uptick in tension throughout the occupied city.
In a leaked audio from November of last year, Israeli President Isaac Herzog stated that Ben Gvir’s extremist views had “the whole world worried.”
During the 1967 War, Israel occupied East Jerusalem, home to Al Aqsa. In 1980, it annexed the entire city, a move that the international community never acknowledged.