The extreme-right Israeli leader, Itamar Ben Gvir’s controversial visit to Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque has angered the authority of Palestines who consider it an act of provocation.
On Tuesday, Itamar Ben Gvir visited the mosque compound days after he was elected as national security minister. The act has blasted up the Palestinian Authority, and they threatened deadly results. Tension has risen among the Muslim citizens of Israel, and in the occupied territory, over fatal brutality.
Waqf Islamic Affairs Council administers The Al-Aqsa Mosque
The mosque’s compound is situated in the Israeli-captured East Jerusalem. With Israeli forces, the Waqf Islamic Affairs Council administered and controlled the place. Under agreements, Jews could only visit but could not pray at the mosque, like their holiest site, where the biblical temples stood.
Muslims adore the mosque compound as the third holiest shrine of Islam and have carried sole prayers since the 17th century after Israel annexed East Jerusalem in 1967’s six-day war. The Temple is very important for the people of Israel. The Muslims and Christians are free to move easily in the compound, except the Jews. Jewish prayers are rigorously prohibited on the compound of the mosque.
However, Ben Gvir affirmed that Jews should also go up and have the freedom to pray. He added that those who make the red lines would be dealt with Iron Fists. This is nothing but discriminatory. Jews should also be permitted, along with Muslims and Christians, to visit and pray at the Al-Aqsa compound, added Ben Gvir.
He proclaimed it as an act of racism to discourage Jewish from praying on the temple mount. Further, he added, the new government will try to change the laws and allow them to have the visit also.
Ben Gvir’s Visit To Al-Aqsa Mosque And The Responses Toward It
Ben Gvir has visited the mosque numerous times since his permanent membership in Parliament in April 2021. But this time, his visit to the mosque as a senior minister charged a serious weight. In 2000, the then-opposing leader Ariel Sharon visited the compound, creating a contrast and pandemonium that lasted till 2005.
The Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid has also opposed the visit and predicted that the controversial provocation might lead to bloodshed and violence. The Palestinian Authority that ruled the West bank has termed Ben Gvir’s stop at the compound “an invasion of Al-Aqsa mosque.” Hazem Qassem, a voice of Hama, called it a red line, declared the act a “crime,” and vowed the compound’s administration to remain under Palestine, Arab and Islam.
Hamas has been ruling the Gaza strip. In May 2021, eleven-day warfare broke out after the violence in Al-Aqsa mosque between the Palestine military and Isreal. Palestine agreed with Isreal’s goal for a long time to intrude on Muslim prayers and establish Jewish preeminence to build a third temple. But, Israel’s government has traditionally denied it.
Jordan’s King Hussein, who has his country’s peace treaty with Isreal and has the custodianship over the Muslim and Christian sites in Jerusalem, has expressed his worry regarding the act and told the new government not to cross lines.
On Monday, an MP from Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party supported Ben Gvir’s visit to Al-Aqsa mosque. According to Israeli radio, Netanyahu, assigned to the head of the most far-right alliance in Israeli history, talked with Ben-Gvir and looked forward to peace.
