EXPLAINER
The far-right Israeli nationwide safety minister had been warned by Israel’s former PM that his transfer would spark violence.
Israel’s far-right nationwide safety minister Itamar Ben-Gvir entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem in a transfer Palestinians referred to as a “deliberate provocation”, ignoring warnings from Israeli politicians that his look on the holy web site would inflame tensions.
Ben-Gvir mentioned he wouldn’t “give up to the threats of Hamas” after the Palestinian group warned that his entrance to the positioning on Tuesday would cross a “crimson line”.
The minister, broadly thought to be a provocateur, has beforehand referred to as for the displacement of Palestinians.
Let’s check out why his entrance to Al-Aqsa Mosque compound is so controversial:
What’s the standing of Al-Aqsa?
- The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound (often known as al-Haram al-Sharif by Muslims and the Temple Mount by Jews) is a large, walled plaza within the coronary heart of the Outdated Metropolis in occupied East Jerusalem. It incorporates the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock.
- It’s thought-about holy by each Muslims and Jews and is a Palestinian nationwide image.
- One of many partitions of the compound, the Western Wall – additionally known as the Wailing Wall or the Buraq Wall – is a holy web site for Jewish prayer. Jews pray undisturbed on the aspect of the wall that’s outdoors the compound.
- Israel has occupied East Jerusalem since 1967. The occupation is unlawful beneath worldwide legislation.
- The compound has been managed constantly by Muslims, beneath a waqf (spiritual endowment), for a whole lot of years.
- The Jordanian-funded waqf has continued to manage the positioning since 1967, whereas Israel has safety management. Beneath a longstanding settlement, the established order of the positioning solely permits Muslim prayer, and visits from non-Muslims are solely permitted at particular instances.
Israel’s far-right nationwide safety minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has entered the Al-Aqsa compound in what Palestinians say is an ‘unprecedented provocation’ – as solely Muslim worshippers are allowed on the web site ⤵️
🔗: https://t.co/BUIBlEFxqF pic.twitter.com/bZB6iZgBDi
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) January 3, 2023
Why is the positioning so delicate for Palestinians?
- As a web site that carries spiritual and nationwide significance, Palestinians are alert to any makes an attempt to alter the established order of Al-Aqsa.
- The elevated variety of ultranationalist Jews coming into the compound, and the frequent storming of the positioning by Israeli safety forces, together with contained in the prayer corridor of Al-Aqsa Mosque, has elevated Palestinian anger.
- Confrontations between Israeli safety forces and settler teams on one aspect and Palestinians on the opposite have occurred quite a few instances over the previous two years, significantly following storming incidents in Al-Aqsa.
- Palestinians see Al-Aqsa as one of many few nationwide symbols that they keep some ingredient of management over. They’re, nonetheless, afraid of a sluggish encroachment by Jewish teams akin to what has occurred on the Ibrahimi Mosque (Cave of the Patriarchs) in Hebron, the place half of the mosque was changed into a synagogue after 1967, which has steadily elevated in measurement.
- Palestinians are additionally nervous about far-right Israeli actions that search to demolish the Islamic constructions within the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and construct a Jewish temple of their place.
Do Jews pray at Al-Aqsa?
- Historically, ultra-Orthodox Jews, together with senior spiritual authorities, have thought-about it religiously impermissible to enter the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, not to mention pray in it. It’s because they think about the positioning too holy for individuals to step on.
- Ultranationalist Jews have more and more tried to wish within the compound, regardless of it being forbidden by Israeli authorities.
- Final Could, an Israeli court docket upheld the ban after it was contested by three Jewish youths who had acquired a restraining order after praying on the web site.
- Nonetheless, Israeli safety forces have typically turned a blind eye to “silent” prayer by Jews being escorted by police at Al-Aqsa.
What does Ben-Gvir need?
- Ben-Gvir is a part of Israel’s “Non secular Zionist” ideological motion, which emerged in an try and reconcile spiritual Jews and Zionism. Many non secular Jews have been suspicious of Zionism’s secular influences.
- He’s additionally a part of a rising motion in Israel that has challenged the normal Jewish restrictions on prayer at Al-Aqsa and as an alternative needs to encourage it.
- As a member of Israel’s far proper, Ben-Gvir was seen by many Israeli politicians as too excessive to work with, however Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was pressured to hunt allies from the far proper, together with Ben-Gvir, when many in Israel’s political mainstream opposed him.
- Ben-Gvir’s place in authorities, which incorporates management over the Israeli police, highlights the energy of the “Non secular Zionist” motion, which needs to keep up and develop Israeli management over the occupied Palestinian territory.
- Ben-Gvir has been convicted for racist incitement in opposition to Arabs and assist for “terrorism”. He has additionally expressed assist for Baruch Goldstein, an Israeli American who killed 29 Palestinians on the Ibrahimi Mosque in 1994.
What’s going to the Palestinian response be?
- Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem instructed Al Jazeera that Ben-Gvir’s “storming” of Al-Aqsa was “a continuation of the Zionist occupation’s aggression in opposition to our sanctities and its conflict on their Arab identification”.
- Whereas normal requires a Palestinian response have been made, no group has particularly referred to as for assaults on Israeli targets but.
- Analysts imagine that Hamas and Fatah are eager to keep away from an armed confrontation with Israel, with Netanyahu in an identical place.
- Nonetheless, tensions within the occupied West Financial institution specifically may escalate, amid continued Israeli raids that made 2022 the deadliest 12 months for Palestinians within the territory since 2006, and the expansion of latest armed Palestinian teams.