Muslim countries condemn Ben-Gvir’s ‘storming’ of Temple Mount
The Temple Mount is "the most important place for the people of Israel. We need to return and display our governance (here)," National Security Minister Ben-Gvir said.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir again sparked outrage among Muslim leaders after visiting the Temple Mount on Thursday morning, saying Israel needs to “display governance” on the holy site.
Ben-Gvir visited the Temple Mount, the holiest place for Jews, to mark Tisha B’Av where Jews mourn the destruction of the Second Temple 2000 years ago by the Romans.
The Temple Mount is “the most important place for the people of Israel. We need to return and display our governance (here),” he said.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visiting Temple Mount, calling it "the most important place for the people of Israel. We need to return and display our governance (here).” https://t.co/eTwzm1mJ3Q
— Jotam Confino (@mrconfino) July 27, 2023
“On this day, at this place, we must remember – we are all brothers. We are all the same people. When a terrorist looks out the window, he can’t tell us apart,” he added.
Some 1,000 Jews also visited the Temple Mount, where the Al-Aqsa mosque is located. Israeli Police arrested 16 people for failing to comply with police orders.
@jewishnews Our Editor, Richard Ferrer, talks through the feeling of love and concern that led to the blacked out front page this week. #israel #israelis #jewish #jewishnews #israelitiktok #israelipolitics #netanyahu #bibi #democracy #jewishlife
The visits by Ben-Gvir and large groups of Jews were harshly condemned by Muslim countries.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said that “the Israeli government provides official backing for continued raids and aggression against the Al-Aqsa Mosque and attempts to change the status quo,” referent to the 1967 agreement between Israel and Jordan which prohibits Jews from praying at the holy site.
Minister @itamarbengvir amongst thousands of worshippers singing at the gate of the #TempleMount in #Jerusalem tonight in commemoration on the Fast of the 9th of Av. pic.twitter.com/pGplaDf02P
— Yishai Fleisher يشاي ישי פליישר ???? (@YishaiFleisher) July 26, 2023
Jordan also condemned the visits, warning that it could ignite a regional crisis, while Saudi Arabia condemned the “settlers” who “stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyard.”
Turkey and Egypt issued similar condemnations, while Hamas called it a “dangerous escalation.”
The Temple Mount has been a flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for years, with Israeli police officers and Palestinians clashing almost every year during Ramadan.
In January, Ben-Gvir also visited the Temple Mount, which drew similar condemnations in the Middle East and led to an emergency meeting in the UN Security Council.
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