Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir sparks anger by praying at sensitive Jerusalem holy site

[Celerity]

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gjxg65p56o



Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has prayed at a disputed holy site in occupied East Jerusalem, violating a decades-old arrangement at one of the most sensitive places in the Middle East.

Photos and videos of his visit to the site known to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif (Noble Sanctuary) and to Jews as the Temple Mount show Ben-Gvir leading Jewish prayers there. The site is also known as the al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Jews are allowed to visit but not pray there.

The Israeli prime minister's office released a statement saying there had been no change to Israel's policy of maintaining the status quo agreement that allows only Muslim worship there. Jordan, custodian of the site, called Ben-Gvir's latest visit "an unacceptable provocation".

Hamas called it "a deepening of the ongoing aggressions against our Palestinian people", while a spokesperson for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said the visit "crossed all red lines".

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[EdmondDantes_]

1. This speaks to why this is so hard to resolve

There's so many holy places that it's hard to find compromise because the competing groups all have historical religious claims.

While this was obviously a deliberate provocation, it also seems like it's reasonable to allow worshipping at a religion's holy sites and banning one religion seems like it will just foster division.

[David__77]

2. I sincerely hope he comes to know justice.

[no_hypocrisy]

3. Trying to provoke another Intifada

In 2000, Ariel Sharon went to the Temple Mount for the same reason under the guise of religious worship.

That’s sparked the Second Intifada, with violence.

[Celerity]

4. Sharon... 'The Butcher of Beirut'. Another in a long line of Likud war criminals and terrorists.