Israel’s far-right national security minister visited the Al-Aqsa Mosque and claimed to have prayed there

Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s far-right National Security Minister, visited the contentious Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem on Sunday, where he stated that he prayed, thereby challenging the regulations governing one of the most sensitive locations in the Middle East.

According to a fragile, decades-old “status quo” agreement with Muslim authorities, the Al-Aqsa compound is managed by a Jordanian religious foundation, allowing Jews to visit but prohibiting them from praying there.

Following Ben-Gvir’s visit, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement affirming that Israel’s policy of upholding the status quo at the compound “has not changed and will not change.”

Videos released by a small Jewish organization known as the Temple Mount Administration depicted Ben-Gvir leading a group through the compound. Other videos circulating online seemed to show him praying.

The Waqf, the organization that oversees the complex situated on a hillside in Jerusalem’s walled Old City, reported that Ben-Gvir was among approximately 1,250 individuals who ascended the site, claiming that they prayed, shouted, and danced.

Israel’s official stance acknowledges the regulations that restrict non-Muslim prayer at the compound, which is regarded as Islam’s third holiest site and the most sacred site in Judaism.

Ben-Gvir has previously visited the site, advocating for the allowance of Jewish prayer there. In a statement, he mentioned that he prayed for Israel’s triumph over the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the ongoing conflict in Gaza and for the safe return of Israeli hostages held by militants. He reiterated his demand for Israel to take control of the entire enclave.

Proposals suggesting that Israel might change the rules at the Al-Aqsa compound have previously incited outrage in the Muslim world and led to violence. However, there were no immediate reports of violence on Sunday.