THE Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and multiple Arab states have strongly condemned Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir for entering the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem, describing the act as a dangerous provocation that threatens to further inflame tensions in the region.
Ben-Gvir led a group of Israeli settlers into the mosque grounds at dawn on Sunday to mark the Jewish observance of Tisha B’Av, according to Turkish news agency Anadolu Ajansi. The annual occasion, linked to the destruction of ancient Jewish temples, has frequently triggered friction at the contested site, which holds deep religious significance for both Muslims and Jews.
The OIC, based in Jeddah, said in a statement that the minister’s presence at the site was part of a broader Israeli strategy “to change the historical and legal status quo in the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.” It urged the international community to intervene to halt Israel’s violations of Islamic and Christian holy sites in the occupied city.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry issued a similar warning, stating: “Israeli practices by government officials at Al-Aqsa Mosque only serve to fuel conflict in the region.” The kingdom stressed that such conduct “violates international laws and norms” and called for urgent international action to end “the practices of Israeli occupation officials.”
Jordan, which oversees the Islamic Waqf responsible for managing Al-Aqsa, denounced the visit as “a flagrant violation of international law and international humanitarian law,” labelling it “an unacceptable provocation and escalation.” Amman reaffirmed that the mosque compound is “a place of worship exclusively for Muslims,” and reiterated the Waqf’s sole legal authority over the site.
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also condemned the incident, stating: “This is not an isolated event.” The ministry characterised the repeated intrusions by senior Israeli officials as evidence of “a colonial, racist policy aimed at erasing the Palestinian presence in Jerusalem and liquidating the Palestinian cause.”
It called on the United Nations Security Council and the broader international community to assume their legal and moral obligations in protecting Palestinians, warning that “unchecked Israeli assaults threaten to eliminate any remaining prospects for peace.”
The Palestinian group Hamas described Ben-Gvir’s actions as “a criminal act” and an “intensifying crime against Al-Aqsa Mosque,” asserting that it represents a growing threat to both regional and global stability.
Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third-holiest site in Islam. The site is also revered by Jews as the Temple Mount, believed to be the location of two ancient Jewish temples.
Israel seized East Jerusalem, where the compound is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, and unilaterally annexed the city in 1980. The annexation has never been recognised by the international community.
Reuters reported earlier Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem on Sunday and said he prayed there, challenging rules covering one of the most sensitive sites in the Middle East.
Under a delicate decades-old "status quo" arrangement with Muslim authorities, the Al-Aqsa compound is administered by a Jordanian religious foundation and Jews can visit but may not pray there.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement after Ben-Gvir's visit that Israel's policy of maintaining the status quo at the compound "has not changed and will not change".
Videos released by a small Jewish organisation called the Temple Mount Administration showed Ben-Gvir leading a group walking in the compound. Other videos circulating online appeared to show him praying. Reuters could not immediately verify the content of the other videos.
The visit to the compound known to Jews as Temple Mount, took place on Tisha B'av, the fast day mourning the destruction of two ancient Jewish temples, which stood at the site centuries ago.
The Waqf, the foundation that administers the complex on a hillside in Jerusalem's walled Old City, said Ben-Gvir was among another 1,250 who ascended the site and who it said prayed, shouted and danced.
Israel's official position accepts the rules restricting non-Muslim prayer at the compound, which is Islam's third holiest site and the most sacred site in Judaism.
Ben-Gvir has visited the site in the past calling for Jewish prayer to be allowed there.
Ben-Gvir said in a statement he prayed for Israel's victory over Palestinian militant group Hamas in the war in Gaza and for the return of Israeli hostages being held by militants there. He repeated his call for Israel to conquer the entire enclave.
Suggestions that Israel would alter rules at the Al-Aqsa compound have sparked outrage in the Muslim world and ignited violence in the past. - August 4, 2025
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