Israeli far-right police minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem on Thursday, praising Jewish visitors who prayed at the site in breach of arrangements that allow only Muslim prayer there.
Condemnation and Tensions
His visit drew condemnation from Jordan and Palestinian officials, with Jordan’s foreign ministry calling it a ‘desecration of the sanctity of the mosque, an escalation, a barbaric act, and unacceptable provocation.’ The compound, known to Jews as Temple Mount, is one of the most sensitive sites in the Middle East and is administered by a Jordanian religious foundation.
Ben-Gvir’s visit took place on Tisha B’Av, a day of fasting and lament in Judaism that mourns the destruction of the ancient Jewish temples. ‘On Tisha B’Av we mark the destruction. But we also see huge progress on the Temple Mount. Look at what’s happening here – Jews praying, feeling like they’re the owners of the place. This has never happened before,’ Ben-Gvir said in a video.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
