Violent Criticism of Israeli Police Minister’s Visit to the Temple Mount Report: Relatives of Executed Protesters Arrested in Iran

A return visit by Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem on Sunday drew heavy criticism. Ben-Gvir said while visiting the complex, which Muslims worship as Al-Haram al-Sharif, “I am happy to visit the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, the most important place for the Jewish people.” He praised the work of the police, showing “who is the master of the house in Jerusalem”.

The Jordanian Foreign Ministry and the Palestinian Authority condemned the visit of the far-right minister as a dangerous provocation. Criticism also came from Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

Ben-Gvir said during the visit: “Any threats from Hamas (islamist ruling the Gaza Strip) will not help, we are the master of the house in Jerusalem and in the whole land of Israel.” By this he also refers to the occupied West Bank and the Arab-dominated eastern part of Jerusalem. The police minister last visited the Temple Mount in January, shortly after taking office.

The Temple Mount with the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site in Islam. But it is also sacred to Jews because there used to be two Jewish temples. Jordan is the custodian of the holy places of Islam in Jerusalem.

The Temple Mount is under Muslim rule, while Israel is responsible for its security. Jews are allowed to visit the facility, but are not allowed to pray there. Ben-Gvir is committed to giving Jews greater access to the facility. Palestinians fear that Israel wants to increase its control over the holy site.

A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called Ben-Gvir’s visit an “open attack on the holy site, which will have dire consequences,” according to the Wafa news agency. “Damaging the Al-Aqsa Mosque is playing with fire, and this will plunge the region into a religious war with unimaginable consequences.” (sda/dpa)