Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s offhanded suggestion that he would build a Jewish synagogue at the Al Aqsa Mosque compound in an interview with Army Radio in Israel on Monday, ignited indignation across the MENA region.
Heightening fears that the sacred Muslim site, a Palestinian national symbol, is under threat, Ben Gvir said that if possible, he would establish a synagogue at the compound in occupied East Jerusalem, known to Jews as the Temple Mount.
The Al Aqsa compound, Islam’s third holiest site, is also considered by Jews to be the location of the First and Second Temples.
Ben Gvir, a far-right minister, has repeatedly ignored the Israeli government’s longstanding ban on Jewish prayer at the site, escalating tensions.
“If I could do anything I wanted, I would put an Israeli flag on the site,” Ben Gvir declared, further inflaming the situation.
When pressed by the interviewer, he eventually admitted that he would build a synagogue there if he had the power.
The decades-old status quo maintained by Israeli authorities allows Jews and non-Muslims to visit the Al Aqsa compound during specified hours but forbids them from praying or displaying religious symbols there.
The minister’s remarks have been condemned by some Orthodox Jews, who believe the site is too holy for Jews to enter. Leading rabbis assert that it is forbidden for any Jew to enter any part of Al Aqsa due to its sanctity.
In recent years, restrictions at the compound have been increasingly flouted by hardline religious nationalists like Ben Gvir, leading to confrontations with Palestinians.
The campaign to build a “Third Temple” on Al Aqsa, once a fringe movement, is gaining momentum in Israel, raising fears of a repeat of the partition seen at the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron.
Since taking office in December 2022, Ben Gvir has visited the Al Aqsa site at least six times, drawing severe condemnation from local and international leaders.
Jordan administers the compound, but Israeli security forces control people’s access.
Ben Gvir insists that Jews should be allowed to pray at the site, arguing that “Arabs can pray wherever they want, so Jews should be able to pray wherever they want.”
His comments directly contradict the current policy, which he claims already permits Jewish prayer there.
Ben Gvir’s actions have not only drawn criticism from Palestinians and neighboring countries but also from Israeli officials.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned that Ben Gvir’s behavior “endangers the national security of the State of Israel.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office reiterated that “there is no change” to the current policy regarding the compound.
Jordan’s Foreign Ministry responded strongly, stating that “Al Aqsa and the holy sites are a pure place of worship for Muslims” and that Jordan would take all necessary measures to stop attacks on the holy sites.
The Jordanian ministry also indicated that it is preparing to file legal action in international courts.
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry condemned the statements as provocative, saying they threaten efforts to reach a truce and a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. It stated that such actions “pose a serious threat to the future of the Palestinian issue,” which is based on the two-state solution.
Palestinian presidency spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh declared that “Al Aqsa and the holy sites are a red line that we will not allow to be touched at all.”
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid criticized Ben Gvir’s comments, suggesting that “Netanyahu lost control of his government.”
Ben Gvir’s provocative actions and statements have deepened divisions and raised alarms about the future of one of the most contested religious sites in the world.