The intrusion was the sixth by the far-right minister into the Al-Aqsa complex since he joined Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government in 2022.
Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir forced his way, along with illegal Jewish settlers, into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem on Wednesday, under heavy police presence.
His storming of the complex comes a few days ahead of the Jewish Passover holiday from April 12-20, an official with the Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem told the Anadolu news agency.
Over 24 illegal settlers accompanied the extremist minister during his tour, the official added.
BREAKING Israeli minister Ben Gvir performs Talmudic rituals in the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque pic.twitter.com/JvjXqiqhK8
— Warfare Analysis (@warfareanalysis) April 2, 2025
The intrusion was the sixth by the far-right minister into the Al-Aqsa complex since he joined Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government in 2022, according to Anadolu.
‘Part of Ongoing Genocide’
The Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas condemned the storming of the complex “by the fascist minister” as “a dangerous provocation and escalation.”
“It comes as part of the ongoing genocide against our Palestinian people and the efforts of the terrorist government, led by war criminal Netanyahu, to Judaize Al-Aqsa Mosque and impose a new reality in the holy city,” Hamas said in a statement.
The movement called upon “our Palestinian people and revolutionary youth in the West Bank to escalate confrontations with this arrogant enemy in all areas, in defense of our land and sacred sites, foremost among them Al-Aqsa Mosque.”
Hamas also urged the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to take effective action at all levels “to stop these systematic violations against Al-Aqsa Mosque, the first Qibla of Muslims and the third holiest site in Islam.”
“Immediate steps must be taken to force the criminal occupation to halt its crimes against our Palestinian people and our Islamic and Christian holy sites,” the movement added.
Strict Measures
Since the outbreak of the Gaza war on October 7, 2023, the Israeli authorities have imposed strict measures limiting Palestinians’ access from the occupied West Bank to East Jerusalem, Anadolu reported.
Palestinians consider these restrictions part of Israel’s broader efforts to Judaize East Jerusalem, where the Al-Aqsa Mosque is located, and erase its Arab and Islamic identity, the report noted.
(PC, Anadolu)
Itamar – Im a Rat…
What a douche! he is the epitome of the dirty Jew. That classic ( mis ) interpretation that people had of the way Jews are: shady, scummy, snivelling, untrustworthy, entitled. He makes regular good Jews look bad. He obviously refuses to skip a meal, and he loves to rub it in that he’s superior because of his privilege. How he ever made it to the government proves that they like the corrupt shady ones. He’s literally an extremist and he’s untouchable, above the law.