Middle East Shockwaves as Israeli Minister Prays at Holy Jerusalem Site

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Picture courtesy of Itamar Ben-Gvir X account

 

Israel’s ultra-nationalist National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has ignited controversy by praying at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, a site deeply revered by both Muslims and Jews. This act defies a long-standing arrangement that permits Jewish visitors but bans them from praying there. The compound, called the Temple Mount by Jews, is located in occupied East Jerusalem.

 

The Israeli Prime Minister’s office insists there has been no breach in the status quo, which grants exclusive Muslim worship rights under an agreement with Jordan, the custodian of the site. Nonetheless, Ben-Gvir's actions drew strong reactions. Jordan slammed the visit as an "unacceptable provocation," while Palestinian entities, including Hamas and President Mahmoud Abbas’ spokesperson, condemned it as escalating tensions.

 

The site holds immense significance; it’s the holiest site for Jews and the third holiest for Muslims, believed by the latter to be the Prophet Muhammad’s ascension point. Israel seized the site from Jordan during the 1967 Middle East war but allowed Jordan to maintain its custodial role while controlling security and access.

 

Palestinians allege Israeli measures are undermining these historical agreements, pointing out that Jewish visits often include prayers unimpeded by Israeli police. The Waqf, the Islamic body administering the site, reported that Ben-Gvir was among 1,250 Jewish visitors that day, according to the BBC.

 

Ben-Gvir, accompanied by police during his visit, has frequented the compound before, but this marks his first public act of prayer there, as per the Times of Israel. He cited recent distressing footage of hostages, believed to be a tactic by Hamas to pressure Israel, during his visit. He reiterated calls for a full Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip and controversially suggested "voluntary emigration" of Palestinians, a notion experts warn could constitute a war crime.

 

His actions have not gone unnoticed internationally. The UK already holds sanctions against him due to his "repeated incitements of violence against Palestinian communities" in the West Bank.

 

The unfolding reactions highlight the sensitive nature of Jerusalem's spiritual landscape, and actions like Ben-Gvir’s risk igniting broader conflict. This incident reinforces the complex and volatile dynamic governing such revered and contested sites in the Middle East.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from BBC 2025-08-04