Far-right Israeli minister sparks outcry with visit to Al-Aqsa Mosque compound

Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir prompted strong condemnation from Arab nations and Palestinian militants Hamas on Wednesday with his latest visit to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City.

The firebrand politician was visiting the site, which is sacred to Jews and Muslims, in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem after returning to the government last month following the resumption of the war against Hamas in Gaza.

Ben Gvir had quit the cabinet in January in protest at the ceasefire agreement in the Palestinian territory.

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.

Under the status quo maintained by Israel, which has occupied east Jerusalem and its Old City since 1967, Jews and other non-Muslims are allowed to visit the compound during specified hours, but they are not permitted to pray there or display religious symbols.

Since the formation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government at the end of 2022, Ben Gvir has visited the compound on at least eight occasions, each time triggering international outcry.

Jordan, the custodian of the site, condemned Wednesday's visit as a "storming" and "an unacceptable provocation" in a foreign ministry statement.

Hamas called it a "provocative and dangerous escalation", saying the visit was "part of the ongoing genocide against our Palestinian people".

"We call on our Palestinian people and our youth in the West Bank to escalate their confrontation... in defence of our land and our sanctities, foremost among them the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque," it said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the Saudi foreign ministry expressed in a statement its "strongest condemnation" of the "storming" of the compound by Ben Gvir.

Egypt also expressed "its total condemnation and denunciation" of Ben Gvir's "storming of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque under the protection of Israeli police".

The site is administered by Jordan under the status quo, while access to it is controlled by Israeli security forces.

- 'Desecration' -

Ben Gvir's spokesperson told AFP the minister "went there because the site was opened (for non-Muslims) after 13 days," during which access was reserved for Muslims for the festival of Eid al-Fitr and the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

In recent years, growing numbers of Jewish ultranationalists have defied the rules, including Ben Gvir, who publicly prayed there in 2023 and 2024.

Influential ultra-Orthodox politician Moshe Gafni, a member of the government majority, criticized Ben Gvir's visit on Wednesday as a "violation of the sanctity of the holiest place for the Jewish people".

"It does not demonstrate sovereignty, on the contrary, it constitutes a desecration of the holy place and provokes unnecessary incitement in the Muslim world and beyond", he wrote on X.

Some Jewish leaders warn against visiting the site on religious grounds.

The Israeli government has said repeatedly that it intends to uphold the status quo at the compound but Palestinian fears about its future have made it a flashpoint for violence.

The UN has previously denounced "any efforts to change the status quo within the holy sites".