Israel’s far-right nationwide safety minister storms the mosque compound underneath the safety of settlers, drawing condemnation from Palestinians.
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Israel’s far-right Nationwide Safety Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem’s Outdated Metropolis – his third incursion into Islam’s third holiest web site this 12 months – as Israel arrested at the least 18 Palestinians within the occupied West Financial institution on Sunday.
Accompanied by Israeli settlers underneath heavy safety from Israeli forces, Ben-Gvir provided Jewish prayers on the web site, which isn’t allowed for non-Muslims as a part of the status quo arrangement in place since 1967, although Jewish persons are permitted to go to the compound.
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A press release from Jordan’s International Ministry stated it thought of Ben-Gvir’s go to to be a violation of the established order settlement on the web site and “a desecration of its sanctity, a condemnable escalation and an unacceptable provocation”.
The Palestinian Authority’s presidency has additionally condemned the storming of the mosque compound, which has turn into extra frequent in recent times.
In an announcement, the presidency stated the transfer was a blatant violation of the historic and authorized establishment on the holy web site, Palestinian information company Wafa reported.
Ben-Gvir, who has stormed the mosque compound at the least 16 occasions since taking workplace in 2022, is a part of a rising settler motion that wishes to take over the Al-Aqsa Mosque, with the far-right Israeli minister having expressed his intention to construct a Jewish synagogue instead of the holy Muslim web site.
“At this time, I really feel just like the proprietor right here,” Ben-Gvir stated in a video filmed on the web site and distributed by his workplace. “There may be nonetheless extra to do, extra to enhance. I hold pushing the prime minister [Benjamin Netanyahu] to do increasingly more,” he stated.
There was no remark from Netanyahu’s workplace to this point.
Israel had closed the Al-Aqsa Mosque to the general public for 40 days after launching its conflict on Iran on February 28. Israel often imposes restrictions, particularly on Palestinian worshippers, with Israeli authorities additionally stopping Eid al-Fitr prayers at Al-Aqsa this 12 months – the primary such restriction since Israel’s unlawful occupation of East Jerusalem in 1967.
The mosque reopened on April 9 to Palestinian worshippers. However later that day, Israeli settlers stormed the compound and carried out Talmudic rituals, underneath the safety of Israeli police, Wafa reported.
Wafa additionally stated that Israeli authorities had prolonged the day by day home windows for Israeli settler incursions by a further half-hour.
In the meantime, Israeli raids have continued throughout the occupied West Financial institution, with at the least 18 folks arrested on Sunday.
Wafa stated Israel arrested six Palestinians throughout a raid on Dheisheh refugee camp, south of Bethlehem.
A youngster and a younger man had been additionally injured by Israeli forces throughout a raid on the town of Nablus.
Assaults by Israeli forces throughout Gaza and the occupied West Financial institution have continued, together with Israel’s wars on Iran and Lebanon.
The United Nations Workplace for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says greater than 1,100 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers within the occupied West Financial institution since October 2023, with hundreds forcibly displaced.
