JERUSALEM: The United Nations, United States, European Union, and Arab countries have strongly condemned Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir for leading prayers and provocations at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem on Tuesday. The Israeli minister’s provocation has heightened international concern amidst ongoing Israeli violence against Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip and occupied West Bank territories of Palestine.
On Tuesday morning, Ben Gvir and some 2,250 other Israeli extremists walked through the compound in groups, singing Jewish hymns, under the protection of Israeli police, an official from the Waqf, the Jordanian body that is the custodian of the site, told AFP.
Itamar Ben Gvir, one of the far-right ministers in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition, led the Israeli extremists into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound to mark a Jewish holiday.
The visit defied rules in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem that allow Jews and other non-Muslims to visit the mosque compound but not to pray or display religious symbols. The mosque is Islam’s third holiest site.
The UN’s deputy spokesman, Farhan Haq, denounced the move as “unduly provocative.” He said that any efforts to alter the status quo at the holy sites in Jerusalem are unacceptable. “Al-Aqsa Mosque, like the other holy sites in Jerusalem, should be left to themselves and managed by the existing religious authorities,” Haq stated. “This sort of behavior is unhelpful and unduly provocative.”
The United States criticized Ben Gvir’s actions, which it argued undermine efforts to achieve a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. State Department spokesman Vedant Patel described the prayers as “unacceptable” and detrimental to the vital peace talks scheduled for Thursday.
“Not only is it unacceptable, it detracts from what we think is a vital time, as we are working to get this ceasefire deal across the finish line,” he said.
Patel stressed that preserving the historic status quo of Jerusalem’s holy sites is crucial and any unilateral actions threatening this status are counterproductive.
“The United States stands firmly for the preservation of the historic status quo with respect to the holy sites of Jerusalem and any unilateral action, which this would be…, that jeopardizes such a status quo is unacceptable,” Patel told reporters.
The European Union also condemned the incident, with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell condemning Ben Gvir’s visit as a “provocation.” “The EU strongly condemns the provocations by Israeli Min. Ben Gvir who, during his visit to the Holy Sites, advocated for the violation of the status quo,” Borrell wrote on X.
Borrell urged restraint and emphasized that such actions threaten the established status quo and contribute to regional tensions. The EU has been actively involved in diplomatic efforts to mitigate the conflict and promote stability in the region.
Borrell has in recent days condemned provocative comments on Israeli bombardments in Gaza by far-right Israeli ministers including Ben Gvir and said that the EU should consider imposing sanctions on them.
An EU official said that European Council President Charles Michel had held phone talks with the president of Iran and the prime minister of Israel since the weekend urging both sides to “exercise restraint”.
Jordan and Egypt have also weighed in, condemning the incursion as a violation of international law and calling for immediate international intervention. Jordan labeled the settler incursion a “blatant violation of international law and the historical and legal status of Jerusalem,” while Egypt urged the international community to act to halt Israel’s actions and preserve the legal status of Al-Aqsa.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry and various resistance groups have denounced the incursion as a provocation against Muslim sentiments and an escalation of Israel’s ongoing aggression in Gaza and the West Bank.
Ben Gvir, a prominent figure in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition, led hundreds of Israelis through the Al-Aqsa compound to mark a Jewish holiday, defying existing regulations that prohibit Jewish prayer and religious symbols at the site.
During the visit, Ben Gvir filmed a video in which he vowed to “defeat Palestinian groups” in Gaza, further inflaming tensions. The visit was accompanied by a large number of Israeli settlers, who entered the compound under heavy Israeli police protection, sparking condemnation from various quarters.
The latest incident comes as international powers are trying to calm tensions in the region as Iran warns of retaliation against Israel after the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
Since October 7 last year, Israel has launched a relentless bombardment campaign in Gaza killing at least 39,929 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to figures from the Gaza health ministry.
