A far-right Israeli minister drew international condemnation Tuesday by praying with thousands of Jews at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in annexed east Jerusalem, defying a ban on Jewish prayer at the flashpoint site. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who has often ignored the Israeli government's longstanding ban, vowed to "defeat Hamas" in Gaza in a video he filmed during his visit. The compound is Islam's third holiest site and a symbol of Palestinian national identity, but it is also Judaism's holiest place, revered as the site of the ancient temple destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.
While Jews and other non-Muslims are allowed to visit the mosque compound in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem during specified hours, they are not permitted to pray or display religious symbols. The visit comes at a tense time during the 10-month Israel-Hamas war, with faltering efforts for a ceasefire and Israel braced for threatened attacks from Iran and its proxies. Ben Gvir's latest visit drew sharp condemnation from both Muslim countries as well as Western powers, including the United States, the European Union and the United Nations.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Ben Gvir showed "blatant disregard" for the status quo at the site and urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to prevent such actions. "These provocative actions only exacerbate tensions at a pivotal moment when all focus should be on the ongoing diplomatic efforts to achieve a (Gaza) ceasefire agreeme.