Israeli Minister Visits Contested Holy Site, Sparks Outrage

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Facts

  • Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the Al Aqsa mosque, whose Jewish name is Temple Mount, on Tuesday, sparking condemnation from Palestinians and other Arab communities.
  • Ben-Gvir, surrounded by police, briefly toured the religious site in his first public act since Israeli PM Netanyahu's government was sworn in five days ago. The hilltop site is considered the most sacred place in Judaism and the third holiest in Islam.
  • Ben-Gvir tweeted a photo of himself walking past the iconic golden Dome of the Rock with his security detail. The tweet read, "The Temple Mount is open to everyone."
  • In response to the minister's visit, an associate of Netanyahu said it doesn't threaten any past agreements and reassured that the PM is committed to the decades-old status quo. Meanwhile Jordan, the site's custodian, claims it violates international law.
  • Netanyahu's scheduled trip to the UAE next week has been postponed following Ben-Gvir's visit, as the UAE, which normalized relations with Israel in 2020, condemned the move. Officials close to Netanyahu, however, say the delay is due to logistical factors and denied any correlation between the two events.
  • The religious site has been a flashpoint of violence between Palestinian worshippers and Israeli security forces. As per past agreements after Israel captured the site in 1967, Jews and non-Muslim tourists are permitted to visit, but they aren't supposed to pray there.

Sources: Reuters, BBC News, UPI, Times of Israel, and New York Times.

Narratives

  • Pro-Palestine, as provided by Middle East Eye. Considering that the Second Intifada was sparked by former Israeli PM Ariel Sharon's storming of Al Aqsa Mosque in 2000, Ben-Gvir's recent stunt is clearly a dangerous provocation. Israeli politicians like Netanyahu and Ben-Gvir are far-right religious nationalists who believe that all of Palestine should be annexed and occupied by Israel. Theatrics like this could seriously worsen an already violent situation; in the last year, Israeli forces have killed over 200 Palestinians, and Ben-Gvir's visit signals that such violence will continue.
  • Pro-Israel, as provided by Times of Israel. The controversy regarding Ben-Gvir's visit is just another example of the double standard to which Israel is held. When Jews want to visit the Temple Mount, which they consider the holiest site in their religion, they're severely criticized by world governments and the media. However, when Palestinians incite violence and riots because they can't accept Jews' rights to pray at their holy site, they're applauded. Either way, Ben-Gvir's visit doesn't threaten the status quo or previous agreements.

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