Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited
the Temple Mount on Sunday morning, two days after Jerusalem Day. He said, "I
am happy to go up to the Temple Mount, the most important place for the people
of Israel."
"It
should be said that the police are doing a wonderful job here and once again
proving who the master in Jerusalem is. All the threats of Hamas will not
change anything; we are the masters of Jerusalem and the entire Land of
Israel."
Ben-Gvir also referenced ongoing tensions surrounding the
upcoming votes on the national budget, saying "We need to remember our
brothers in the Negev and the Galilee. In the upcoming budget, we must invest
in the Negev and the Galilee. Jerusalem is our soul, the Negev and the Galilee
is our soul, we must invest, we must act there, we must be the owners of both
the Negev and the Galilee, and the foundation of this is the budget."
The
head of the Temple Mount Administration, Rabbi Shimshon Elbaum, welcomed the
visit stating, "I congratulate National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir
for his ascent to the Temple Mount, which gives meaning to the slogan 'The
Temple Mount is in our hands' which recently turned 56 years old."
"Ben-Gvir has been active since his youth in favor of
Jewish pilgrimages to the Temple Mount, and since taking office has already
caused significant improvements, removing hundreds of harassers and
strengthening Israel's rule on the Temple Mount."
The Tag
Meir organization condemned the visit, stating "Ben-Gvir and a friend of
his want to forcefully change the status quo on the Temple Mount and set
Jerusalem and the Middle East on fire. Until when will we continue to pay the
price of the irresponsible appointment of Ben-Gvir to the position of national
security minister of the State of Israel?"
The spokesman for the Palestinian Authority presidency,
Nabil Abu Rudeineh, called Ben-Gvir's visit to the site a "flagrant attack
on al-Aqsa" warning that it would have "serious repercussions,"
according to the Palestinian WAFA news agency.
"The entry of the extremist Ben-Gvir at an early hour,
like thieves, into the al-Aqsa Mosque square will not change reality and will
not impose Israeli sovereignty over it," added Abu Rudeineh.
The
Jordanian Foreign Ministry condemned the visit in the strongest terms, calling
it a dangerous and unacceptable escalation and a flagrant and unacceptable
violation of international law, and of the historical and legal status quo in
Jerusalem and its sanctities.
The ministry added that the continuous violations and
attacks on the Islamic and Christian sanctities in Jerusalem, in conjunction
with the continuation of unilateral measures of settlement expansion and
continuous incursions into the occupied Palestinian territories, warns of
further escalation, and represents a dangerous trend that the international
community must work to stop immediately."
The Turkish Foreign Ministry also condemned Ben-Gvir's visit
to the Temple Mount on Sunday, calling it a clear breach of the international
law.
"It is in no way acceptable that Israeli government
members challenge the historical status of Al-Haram Al-Sharif (the name
commonly used in Arabic for the Temple Mount) in this manner and commit
inflammatory and fascistic actions," added the ministry.
"We call on the Israeli government once again to act
responsibly, and to put an end to all kinds of provocative actions violating
the historical status of Al-Haram Al-Sharif that is based on the international
law."
The Saudi Foreign Ministry condemned the visit as well,
stating, "The ministry affirms that these systematic practices are
considered a flagrant violation of all international norms and covenants, and a
provocation of the feelings of Muslims around the world. The ministry holds the
Israeli occupation forces fully responsible for the repercussions of the continuation
of these violations.”
Hamas's spokesman for the city of Jerusalem, Mohammed
Hamada, stressed that the movement would not leave al-Aqsa alone and warned
that Israel will bear responsibility for the barbaric incursions of its ministers
and herds of settlers.
Hamada called on Palestinians and Arabs in Jerusalem, the
West Bank and Israeli territory to intensify their presence in al-Aqsa in order
confront all attempts to desecrate and Judaize it.
Palestinian media outlets affiliated with Hamas, including
the Shehab news agency, published a graphic showing Ben-Gvir with a red target
over him and the words "Ben-Gvir is a target for our heroes and the wrath
of our revolutionaries."
On
Thursday, Jewish visitors to the Temple Mount raised the Israeli flag while
singing "Hatikva," as over a thousand Jews visited the complex to
mark Jerusalem Day. Despite Jerusalem Day officially being on Friday, most of
the festivities for the day were moved to Thursday to avoid a desecration of
the Shabbat.
Video from the scene showed a man carrying a small flag
while the group walking with him sang the Israeli national anthem. The man
carrying the flag was detained. At least three additional individuals raised
Israeli flags on the Mount on Thursday as well.
A number of ministers and MKs visited the Temple Mount on
Thursday as well, including Negev and Galilee and National Resilience Minister
Yitzhak Wasserlauf (Otzma Yehudit) and Likud MKs Dan Illouz, Ariel Kallner and
Amit Halevi.
Since the Jerusalem Day flag march on Thursday, a
series of violent incidents have been reported in the Old City of
Jerusalem. Before and during the march, scuffles broke out between Jews, Arabs
and police officers throughout the Old City.
Journalists covering the flag march were also attacked by
right-wing participants of the march near the Damascus Gate on Thursday
afternoon, with participants jeering at them and hitting them with various
objects. The police stated that they arrested two of the participants who
attacked the journalists. One of the suspects, a minor, was also carrying a
knife in their bag.
On Friday afternoon, clashes erupted between Palestinians,
Jews and Israel Police near the Lions' Gate of the Old City of Jerusalem,
shortly before Friday prayers were set to begin at al-Aqsa Mosque. Two Israeli
civilians and a police officer were injured amid the violence.
Footage reportedly from the scene showed Jews dancing and
singing in the area before fights erupted and police intervened, throwing stun
grenades into the crowd. Palestinians were seen throwing stones at the Jewish
individuals during the clashes. The windshields of vehicles belonging to
Palestinians were smashed as well, according to Palestinian reports. A number
of Palestinians were reportedly injured amid the violence.
