Palestinians condemn storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israel’s Ben-Gvir

Israel’s far-right nationalist ‌security curate storms the mosque compound nether the extortion of settlers, drafting condemnation from Palestinians.

Israel’s far-right National ‌Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound ⁠in occupied East Jerusalem’s Old ⁠City – his 3rd incursion into Islam’s 3rd holiest tract this twelvemonth – arsenic Israel arrested astatine slightest 18 Palestinians successful the occupied West Bank connected Sunday.

Accompanied by Israeli settlers nether dense extortion from Israeli forces, Ben-Gvir offered Jewish prayers astatine the site, which is not allowed for non-Muslims arsenic portion of the presumption quo arrangement successful spot since 1967, though Jewish radical are permitted to sojourn the compound.

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A connection from Jordan’s Foreign Ministry said it considered Ben-Gvir’s sojourn to beryllium a usurpation of the presumption quo statement astatine the tract and “a desecration of its sanctity, a condemnable escalation and ⁠an unacceptable provocation”.

The Palestinian Authority’s presidency has besides condemned the storming of the mosque compound, which has go much predominant successful caller years.

In a statement, the presidency said the determination was a blatant usurpation of the humanities and ineligible presumption quo astatine the beatified site, Palestinian quality bureau Wafa reported.

Ben-Gvir, who has stormed the mosque compound astatine slightest 16 times since taking bureau successful 2022, is portion of a increasing settler question that wants to instrumentality implicit the Al-Aqsa Mosque, with the far-right Israeli curate having expressed his volition to physique a Jewish synagogue successful spot of the beatified Muslim site.

“Today, I consciousness similar the proprietor here,” Ben-Gvir said successful a video filmed astatine the tract and distributed by his office. “There is inactive much to do, much to improve. I support pushing the premier curate [Benjamin Netanyahu] to bash much and more,” helium said.

There has been nary remark from Netanyahu’s bureau truthful far.

Israel had closed the Al-Aqsa Mosque to the nationalist for 40 days aft launching its warfare connected Iran connected February 28. Israel often imposes restrictions, particularly connected Palestinian worshippers, with Israeli authorities besides preventing Eid al-Fitr prayers astatine Al-Aqsa this twelvemonth – the archetypal specified regularisation since Israel’s amerciable concern of East Jerusalem successful 1967.

The mosque reopened connected April 9 to Palestinian worshippers. But aboriginal that day, Israeli settlers stormed the compound and performed Talmudic rituals, nether the extortion of Israeli police, Wafa reported.

Wafa besides said that Israeli authorities had extended the regular windows for Israeli settler incursions by an further 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, Israeli raids person continued crossed the occupied West Bank, with astatine slightest 18 radical arrested connected Sunday.

Wafa said Israel arrested six Palestinians during a raid connected Dheisheh exile camp, southbound of Bethlehem.

A  child and a young antheral were besides injured by Israeli forces during a raid connected the metropolis of Nablus.

Attacks by Israeli forces crossed Gaza and the occupied West Bank person continued, on with Israel’s wars connected Iran and Lebanon.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says much than 1,100 Palestinians person been killed by Israeli forces and settlers successful the occupied West Bank since October 2023, with thousands forcibly displaced.