On Tuesday, far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir led hundreds of Israelis into the Al Aqsa Mosque compound in annexed east Jerusalem, where they performed prayers for a Jewish holiday, according to sources. Ben Gvir, who frequently disregards the Israeli government's long-standing prohibition on Jewish prayer at the site, pledged to "defeat Hamas" in Gaza in a video recorded during his visit. The compound, the third holiest site in Islam and a symbol of Palestinian national identity, allows Jews and other non-Muslims to visit during certain hours but prohibits them from praying or displaying religious symbols. In recent years, these rules have been increasingly ignored by hardline religious nationalists like Ben Gvir, leading to sometimes violent reactions from Palestinians.
On Tuesday morning, Ben Gvir and approximately 2,250 other Israelis entered the compound in groups, protected by Israeli police, according to a Waqf official, the Jordanian body that oversees the site. The official accused Ben Gvir of not upholding the status quo at the mosque and instead supervising a "Judaisation operation" aimed at altering the situation inside Al Aqsa Mosque. Israeli police also reportedly restricted Muslim worshippers from entering the mosque. Jordan's foreign ministry condemned the "storming" of the mosque as a "flagrant violation of international law." Ministry spokesperson Sufyan Al Qudah called for a clear and firm international stance against these violations.
Social media images showed Ben Gvir inside the compound with several Israelis. He released a video statement on the platform X, filmed within the compound, reiterating his opposition to any truce in the war in Gaza. The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Ben Gvir's visit "deviated from the status quo." The statement clarified that "Israel's policy on the Temple Mount has not changed; this is how it has been and this is how it will be." Last month, Ben Gvir, known for provocative actions, claimed to have prayed inside the Al Aqsa Mosque compound, defying the established rules that allow Jewish visits but forbid prayer.
