‘Unduly provocative’: Why Israeli minister’s prayer at Al-Aqsa mosque has irked the West – Times of India

‘Unduly provocative’: Why Israeli minister’s prayer at Al-Aqsa mosque has irked the West – Times of India



Israeli minister Itamar Ben Gvir drew criticism from numerous quarters after he, together with lots of of Israelies, entered Jerusalem‘s Al-Aqsa mosque compound and carried out prayers — this comes because the Center East stays on edge amid worry of anticipated large-scale Iran and Lebanon assaults within the wake of Hamas chief’s assassination.
Ben Gvir and a few 2,250 different Israelis on Tuesday entered the compound in teams, singing Jewish hymns underneath the safety of Israeli police, an official from the Waqf, the Jordanian physique that’s the custodian of the location, advised information company AFP.
“Minister Ben Gvir, as an alternative of sustaining the establishment on the mosque is supervising the Judaisation operation and attempting to vary the scenario inside Al-Aqsa mosque,” the official advised AFP on situation of anonymity as he was not authorised to talk on the difficulty.
Israeli police additionally “imposed restrictions” on Muslim worshippers attempting to enter the mosque, he stated.
‘We should win this struggle’
Ben Gvir posted a video assertion on social media platform X, which he filmed contained in the compound himself, vowing to win the struggle in Gaza.
“We should win this struggle. We should win and never go to the talks in Doha or Cairo,” he stated, in an obvious reference to US-backed negotiations for a truce and hostage launch deal for Gaza scheduled to renew on August 15.
“We will defeat Hamas.. we should carry them all the way down to their knees,” Ben Gvir stated.
Gvir garners condemnation from West
Ben Gvir garnered world condemnation after the mosque go to as he additionally vowed to “defeat Hamas” in Gaza in a video he filmed through the go to.
The European Union (EU) condemned “provocations” by Gvirm and referred to as it “violation of establishment”.
“The EU strongly condemns the provocations by Israeli Min. Ben Gvir who, throughout his go to to the Holy Websites, advocated for the violation of the established order,” EU international coverage chief Josep Borrell wrote on X.
France’s international ministry additionally stepped in to sentence Gvir for defying the ban on Jewish prayer on the Al-Aqsa mosque, calling it an unacceptable “provocation”.
The United Nations additionally slammed the minister, calling his go to “unduly provocative“.
US urges Netanyahu to stop ‘provocative actions’
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stop additional “provocative actions” after Gvir’s Al-Aqsa go to.
Strongly criticising the Israeli minister’s go to, Blinken stated that Gvir confirmed “blatant disregard” for the established order.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu’s workplace has made clear that the actions of Minister Ben Gvir are inconsistent with Israeli coverage. We’ll look to the federal government of Israel to stop comparable incidents sooner or later,” Blinken stated.
“These provocative actions solely exacerbate tensions at a pivotal second when all focus must be on the continued diplomatic efforts to realize a ceasefire settlement and safe the discharge of all hostages and create the situations for broader regional stability,” he stated.
Why the controversy?
Al-Aqsa mosque has been some extent of rivalry for an extended as it’s the third holiest web site in Islam and likewise essentially the most sacred in Judaism as Jews revere the location of the traditional temple destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.
Jews and non-Muslims are allowed to go to the mosque compound in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem throughout predefined hours however will not be allowed to show spiritual symbols or provide prayers.
Curiously, this isn’t the primary time that Ben Gvir has defied the Israeli authorities’s ban on Jewish prayer on the Al-Aqsa compound.
Final month, Ben Gvir stated he had prayed contained in the mosque compound towards the principles that permit Jewish visits however forbid prayer.







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