Itamar Ben-Gvir leads thousands of Jewish extremists in a provocative storming of Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.
Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s far-right national security minister, joined thousands of Jewish extremists and settlers to storm the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem on Thursday. The visit occurred during the Jewish holiday of Tisha B’Av, a day of mourning for the destruction of the ancient temples. Under the long-standing "status quo" agreement, non-Muslim prayer is typically banned at the site, but Ben-Gvir praised the progress of Jewish worshippers who prayed there, stating they "feel like the owners." The move drew sharp criticism from Palestinian and Arab officials. The Palestinian ministry of religious endowments and affairs described the practices as a "dangerous provocation" seeking to ignite a regional religious war. Additionally, eight Arab and Muslim-majority countries issued a joint statement condemning the incursions as an unlawful attempt to alter the historical and legal status quo. While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly backed the changes, he maintains that Israel has not officially violated the existing agreement.