Itamar Ben Gvir, Israel's far-right national security minister, led hundreds into Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa compound on Tisha B'Av, appearing to breach the site's decades-old "status quo." AFP footage showed Jewish settlers queuing early and praying inside the compound, and Ben Gvir posted video remarks asserting Jewish claims to the site. Jordan strongly condemned the visit as an attempt to alter existing arrangements, while Israel insists its policy has not changed. Observers warn such actions risk heightening tensions across the region.
Itamar Ben Gvir Leads Hundreds Into Al-Aqsa On Tisha B'Av, Breaking Long-Standing Status Quo
Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir led hundreds of Israelis to the Al-Aqsa compound in Jerusalem's Old City to mark a Jewish day of mourning (ilia YEFIMOVICH)
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, a prominent far-right politician, led hundreds of Israeli Jews into Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque compound on Thursday, breaching the long-standing "status quo" at the contested holy site while observing Tisha B'Av, the Jewish day of mourning. AFP footage showed Jewish settlers queuing from early morning and groups performing prayers inside the compound.
In a video posted to his Telegram channel at the compound, Ben Gvir said:
"Look at what's happening here -- Jews are praying and feel that they are the rightful owners here. Everywhere, people understand that the State of Israel is the sovereign authority. There is still more to do, and with God's help, we will continue to move forward."
The Al-Aqsa compound, located in Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem, is Islam's third-holiest site and Judaism's most sacred location, where the First and Second Temples once stood. Access and practices at the site are governed by a decades-old arrangement between Israel and Jordan, under which Jews may visit but are not permitted to pray there while Muslim worship is to continue uninterrupted.
In recent years, Ben Gvir and other Jewish visitors have increasingly tested those limits by praying openly at the compound. Such actions have drawn strong condemnation from Jordan, the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority and Muslim religious bodies. Jordan's foreign ministry called Thursday's visit an "unacceptable attempt to impose new realities" and criticized Israeli officials and police for facilitating the incursions.
The Israeli government maintains that its policy on the status quo has not changed, even as repeated incidents continue to inflame tensions between Israelis and Palestinians. Since taking office, Ben Gvir has entered the site more than a dozen times and has previously used Tisha B'Av events to call for tougher measures in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Observers warn that high-profile visits by senior officials on sensitive religious dates risk exacerbating unrest in Jerusalem and across the region. Tisha B'Av, which commemorates the destruction of the First and Second Temples, is one of the most solemn days in the Jewish calendar and is associated with other historic calamities.
Help us improve.
