Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem on Sunday, saying he was seeking greater access for Jewish worshippers at the site revered by both Muslims and Jews. The visit drew immediate condemnation from Jordan and the Palestinian Authority.
The Al-Aqsa compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, is one of the most sensitive religious sites in the Middle East. Under a longstanding arrangement, Jordan serves as custodian of the Islamic holy sites, while Israel controls security access. Ben-Gvir’s visits to the compound have repeatedly sparked diplomatic protests and raised tensions.
The timing of Sunday’s visit is particularly provocative. It comes amid the ongoing US-Iran conflict and Israeli military operations in Lebanon that have killed hundreds and drawn international condemnation. Regional tensions are already at their highest point in decades.
Jordan, which has a peace treaty with Israel and acts as custodian of Al-Aqsa, condemned the visit as a violation of the site’s status quo. The Palestinian Authority similarly denounced it as a deliberate provocation.
Ben-Gvir, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government, has made repeated visits to the compound since taking office, each time triggering diplomatic fallout. Critics say the visits are designed to alter the status quo at the holy site, while Ben-Gvir maintains he is exercising Israeli sovereignty.
