Countries, together with the United States, criticized the far-right Israeli lawmaker’s provocative go to to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem, saying it threatens the established order.
Palestinians condemned Israel’s nationwide safety minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s go to to the Al-Aqsa Mosque complicated in occupied East Jerusalem as an “unprecedented provocation” and a “declaration of war.”
Early on Tuesday, Ben-Gvir entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque complicated, a day after saying he had postponed the go to amid warnings of unrest.
“Ben-Gvir’s intrusion represents an unprecedented provocation, a serious threat to the arena of conflict and contempt to calls to stop (the visit),” the Palestinian Foreign Ministry mentioned in a press release.
The ministry blasted the far-right official’s tour as “a “legitimization of additional incursions to Al-Aqsa Mosque by hard-line settlers.”
The ministry held Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accountable “for this brazen assault on Al-Aqsa.”
Palestinian Authority spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh warned that Ben-Gvir’s go to would “lead to more tension and violence and an explosive situation.”
He known as on the U.S. “to assume its responsibilities and force Israel to stop its escalation” at Al-Aqsa Mosque “before it is too late,” in accordance with state news company Wafa.
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh known as the go to “a dangerous challenge to the sentiments” of the Palestinians.
‘Declaration of struggle’
In Gaza, the Palestinian resistance group Hamas denounced Ben-Gvir’s go to to the Al-Aqsa complicated as a “war” on the flashpoint web site.
“Ben-Gvir’s intrusion is part of the continuing aggression on the holy sites and the war on Arab identity,” Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem mentioned in a press release.
“Al-Aqsa Mosque has been and will remain a Palestinian, Arab and Islamic site,” the spokesperson mentioned.
Saleh Raafat, an govt committee member of the umbrella Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), condemned Ben-Gvir’s go to as a “declaration of war” on the Palestinian individuals.
In statements to official Palestine Radio, Raafat known as on Arab international locations with official relations with Israel “to reconsider the shape of these relations.”
For Muslims, Al-Aqsa represents the world’s third-holiest web site. Jews, for his or her half, name the realm the Temple Mount, saying it was the location of two Jewish temples in historical occasions.
Ben-Gvir holds far-right views on the Palestinians and has known as for his or her displacement. He has repeatedly joined Israeli settlers in storming the Al-Aqsa Mosque complicated in East Jerusalem.
The far-right politician additionally brought about a wave of escalation within the occupied metropolis after establishing an workplace within the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood.
Last November, Israeli President Isaac Herzog warned in a leaked audio clip that “the whole world is worried” about Ben-Gvir’s extremist views.
Israel occupied East Jerusalem, the place Al-Aqsa is situated, in the course of the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. It annexed your entire metropolis in 1980, in a transfer by no means acknowledged by the worldwide group.
Saudi Arabia, UAE and Jordan condemn Ben-Gvir’s go to
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have been among the many nations to sentence a go to Tuesday by Israel’s extreme-right new nationwide safety minister to Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque compound.
The UAE, which launched diplomatic ties with Israel in 2020, “strongly condemned the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyard by an Israeli minister,” in a overseas ministry assertion.
The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Tom Nides, mentioned Washington “has made it clear to the Israeli government it opposes any steps that could harm the status quo in the holy sites.”
Any unilateral motion that jeopardizes the established order of Jerusalem holy websites is unacceptable, a White House National Security Council spokesperson mentioned on Tuesday after the go to.
“The U.S. stands firmly for the preservation of the status quo concerning the holy sites in Jerusalem. Any unilateral action that jeopardizes the status quo is unacceptable,” the spokesperson mentioned, including the U.S. calls on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to protect his dedication to the established order of holy websites.
Jordan’s overseas ministry spokesperson Sinan Majali slammed the Israeli politician for “breaking into the blessed Al-Aqsa mosque and violating its sanctity.”
Jordan summoned the Israeli ambassador in Amman to protest the “storming of the al-Aqsa mosque” in Jerusalem.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sinan al-Majali mentioned the ambassador was handed over a letter of protest to convey instantly to his authorities.
Jordan, which is the official custodian of Muslim and Christian holy websites in Jerusalem, earlier condemned Ben-Gvir’s go to, saying it was a “provocative step” and a “flagrant violation of worldwide legislation.”
Saudi Arabia, dwelling to the holiest websites in Islam, condemned the “provocative practices” of Ben-Gvir in a overseas ministry assertion.
The Arab League (AL) and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) additionally criticized the go to.
The far-right politician has lobbied to permit Jewish prayer there, a transfer opposed by mainstream rabbinical authorities.
Israel’s chief Sephardi rabbi, Yitzhak Yosef, wrote to Ben-Gvir on Tuesday.
“What will people say when they see a minister, an observant Jew, who flouts the rabbinate’s position,” he mentioned in a letter.
Units of the Israeli safety forces accompanied Ben-Gvir, Waqf guards informed Agency France-Press (AFP), whereas a drone hovered above the holy web site.
A controversial go to in 2000, by then-opposition chief Ariel Sharon was one of many major triggers for the second Palestinian intifada, or rebellion, which lasted till 2005.
Ben-Gvir visited the Temple Mount web site, often known as Al-Haram al-Sharif, which comprises the holy Islamic locations of the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. It can be revered by Jews, as there have been two temples on the location.
