All articles tagged with #temple mount
Israeli far-right Minister Ben-Gvir's provocative visit to the Temple Mount amid ongoing Gaza conflict appears aimed at sabotaging a potential ceasefire deal, while Netanyahu balances internal and external pressures amidst escalating tensions and regional conflicts involving Syria and the Druze community.
Thousands of Israeli nationalists marched through Jerusalem's Old City, chanting anti-Arab slogans and marking Jerusalem Day, amid heightened tensions and violence in the city, with clashes over holy sites and increased Jewish visits to the Temple Mount, reflecting ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflicts over Jerusalem's status.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided against imposing new restrictions on Palestinian Muslims' access to the Temple Mount during the first week of Ramadan, maintaining similar entry numbers as in previous years. The decision, made amid ongoing conflict, will be reassessed weekly based on security considerations. Netanyahu emphasized Israel's commitment to upholding freedom of worship while ensuring security. The move has drawn both support and criticism, with Turkish President Erdogan warning of "very serious consequences" if access to holy sites is restricted.
U.S. officials are concerned that a series of worrying trends, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's capitulation to far-right coalition partners over Muslim access to the Temple Mount during Ramadan, could lead to a major escalation in the Middle East in the coming weeks.
Clashes broke out between police and far-right Jewish nationalists during a march through Jerusalem's Old City, where activists called for "full Jewish control" over the Temple Mount/Al-Aqsa compound. The march, which passed through the Muslim Quarter, saw racist abuse being hurled by the participants.
Hamas deputy chief Saleh al-Arouri predicts that the hostages kidnapped by the group during their recent cross-border assault will be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. He claims that the assault was a reaction to alleged desecration of the al-Aqsa compound on Jerusalem's Temple Mount and accuses Israel of planning to impose a new reality on the site. Al-Arouri also expresses hope that Palestinians in the West Bank will join the fight and states that Hamas is prepared for all options, including an Israeli ground invasion.
Itamar Ben Gvir, a far-right Israeli politician, visited the Temple Mount on Tisha B'Av, a Jewish day of mourning, drawing criticism from Jordan, the Palestinian Authority, Hamas, and the US. Ben Gvir's visit marked his third as a cabinet minister and has sparked anger from the Arab world. Jordan warned that Israeli actions at the site threaten to escalate violence, while the US Embassy in Israel emphasized the importance of preserving the status quo. The Palestinian Authority accused Israel of attempting to Judaize the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and Hamas condemned the visit as a dangerous escalation. The Saudi Foreign Ministry also condemned the visit.
Three Palestinians were killed and six others were wounded during an Israeli army raid in a West Bank refugee camp. The Biden administration criticized Israel's latest act of settlement expansion and expressed concerns about ultranationalist National Security Minister Itmar Ben-Gvir's visit to the Temple Mount. Israel has stepped up raids in response to a spate of Palestinian attacks. The Palestinians seek the West Bank and the Gaza Strip for a future independent state, with east Jerusalem as its capital. Most of the international community considers Israeli settlements to be illegal and obstacles to peace.
The US State Department has criticized Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir for his "provocative" visit to the Temple Mount, accusing him of using "inflammatory rhetoric" and politicizing the holy site. The statement also condemned Israel for lifting a ban on Israelis entering the area of the former Homesh outpost, paving the way for settlers to return and build a formal settlement there. The US reaffirmed its commitment to the status quo agreement governing the Temple Mount and to Jordan's "special role" regarding Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem.
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the sensitive Jerusalem holy site, known as the Temple Mount to Jews and the Al-Aqsa Mosque to Muslims, drawing condemnations from Palestinians and Jordan. Ben-Gvir praised the police presence at the site, which has been a source of tension between Israelis and Palestinians for decades. Palestinians consider the mosque a national symbol and view such visits as provocative and as a potential precursor to Israel seizing control over the compound. The ultranationalist Ben-Gvir has long called for greater Jewish access to the holy site.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir visited the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, declaring it a demonstration of Israel's ownership of the holy site and drawing condemnations from Jordan and the Palestinians. The site is considered the holiest in Judaism and the third-holiest shrine in Islam, making it a major flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Under the status quo, Jews and other non-Muslims are permitted to visit the Temple Mount during certain hours but may not pray there. Ben Gvir praised the Israel Police for its administration of Jewish visits to the holy site, which, he said, "prove who is in charge in Jerusalem."
Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the Temple Mount, stating that "we are the masters of Jerusalem and the entire Land of Israel." The visit was condemned by Jordan and the Palestinian Authority, warning of escalation. Over 1,000 Jews visited the Temple Mount on Jerusalem Day, raising the Israeli flag and singing the national anthem. Since then, violent incidents have been reported in the Old City of Jerusalem between Jews, Arabs, and police officers.
Three Likud members of the Knesset, along with two members of the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, ascended the Temple Mount, leading to condemnation from Arab countries. The Likud party is becoming more radical, with no major differences of opinion between some senior Likud members and those of Otzma Yehudit. The left is shifting to the center, which itself is leaning right, while the right is becoming national-religious. The Temple Mount is the holiest site for Jews and the third holiest shrine in Islam, turning the area into a major source of tension in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Hundreds of thousands of Muslims participated in prayers at the Temple Mount compound on the last Friday of Ramadan, largely without incident, though police detained eight Palestinians for chants inciting violence and waving flags belonging to terror groups. Over one million Muslims visited the Temple Mount throughout the entire holy month of Ramadan. Roughly 100,000 of the worshipers crossed into Israel from the West Bank on Friday, enduring long lines and crowded conditions at IDF-run checkpoints to do so. Israel traditionally allows a large number of mainly female and elderly Palestinians along with children to enter during Ramadan in order to attend prayers at the Temple Mount’s Al-Aqsa Mosque or visit family in Israel.
Palestinians gathered at the Temple Mount and Al-Aqsa Mosque on Thursday night, with extra security forces headed to Jerusalem as the capital braced for the final Friday prayers of Ramadan. Tensions surrounding the holy site remain high after clashes last week, with Hamas urging Palestinians to flock to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and not to leave the site. Over 2,000 police and Border Police officers will deploy around Jerusalem on Friday, with reinforcements headed to the Old City, the outskirts of the capital and East Jerusalem. Israel has barred Jews and other non-Muslims from visiting the Temple Mount during the last 10 days of Ramadan.