Andrew Juma, DigitalWorldwideNews.com, Jerusalem
August 4, 2025
Israeli Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s prayer at Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa Mosque compound, defying a decades-old ban, has ignited regional fury.
On August 3, 2025, Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir prayed at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, violating a decades-old status quo that permits Jewish visits but bans prayer. The act, during the Jewish mourning day of Tisha B’Av, drew condemnation from Jordan, Hamas, and the Palestinian Authority. Below, we answer key questions, drawing on BBC and global sources for accuracy.
Ben-Gvir, escorted by police, led Jewish prayers among 1,250 Jewish visitors at the al-Aqsa compound on August 3, 2025, commemorating Tisha B’Av, which marks the destruction of two ancient Jewish temples. Videos showed him praying and calling for Israel to “conquer” Gaza and encourage Palestinian “voluntary emigration,” per BBC. This was his first public prayer at the site, though he visited it in 2024, defying the status quo that reserves worship for Muslims, managed by Jordan’s Waqf.
Jordan, the site’s custodian, called the visit an “unacceptable provocation,” while Hamas labeled it a “deepening of aggressions,” per BBC. A Palestinian Authority spokesperson said it “crossed all red lines.” The act risks escalating tensions, as similar visits fueled an 11-day war in 2021, per The Irish Examiner. Palestinians accuse Israel of undermining the 1967 status quo, with Jewish prayers increasingly tolerated, per The New York Times. X posts, like @JavedKhanBagra, called it a “violation,” reflecting Muslim anger over the site’s sanctity.
The compound, in occupied East Jerusalem, is Judaism’s holiest site, home to two ancient temples, and Islam’s third-holiest, where Muslims believe Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven. Captured by Israel from Jordan in 1967, it’s managed by Jordan’s Waqf, with Israel controlling security. The status quo allows Jewish visits but bans prayer to avoid conflict. Ben-Gvir’s act, per Reuters, challenges this delicate balance, raising fears of violence amid Gaza’s ongoing crisis.
Jordan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia condemned the prayer as a violation of international law, with Egypt warning it could derail Gaza ceasefire talks, per The Irish Examiner. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called it a “blatant disregard” for the status quo, urging focus on peace, per BBC. The UN and France echoed concerns, per Al Jazeera. Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office insisted no policy change occurred, but analysts, like Hugh Lovatt cited by The Guardian, see Ben-Gvir’s influence growing within Israel’s coalition. X posts, like @ReutersWorld, noted global fears of escalation.
The al-Aqsa compound is a flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, symbolizing competing national and religious identities. For Palestinians, it’s central to their claim to East Jerusalem as a future capital, per The New York Times. Israel’s 1967 occupation and increasing settler activity, with 700,000 settlers in the West Bank by 2025, fuel distrust, per Al Jazeera. Ben-Gvir’s actions echo past provocations, like Ariel Sharon’s 2000 visit, which sparked the Second Intifada. His call for Gaza’s occupation, deemed a potential war crime by experts, per BBC, intensifies Palestinian fears of displacement.
Israel’s government faces pressure to discipline Ben-Gvir, sanctioned by the UK for inciting violence, per BBC. Ceasefire talks, stalled since July 2025, face further setbacks, with Hamas citing the prayer as proof of Israel’s aggression, per Reuters. Jordan may escalate diplomatic protests, while Palestinian groups plan demonstrations, per X posts. The U.S. and France are pushing for renewed negotiations, but Ben-Gvir’s influence could embolden hardliners, per The Guardian. The Waqf’s call for stricter access controls may lead to clashes if ignored.
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