Latest news with #TempleMountAdministration
Business Recorder
04-08-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia condemn Israeli govt officials' provocative actions against Al-Aqsa Mosque
The governments of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Jordan have condemned the Israeli government officials' provocative actions against Al-Aqsa Mosque, after 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. 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 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. Israeli minister sparks outcry with visit to Al-Aqsa Mosque compound Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned 'storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli ministers, accompanied by settler groups and shielded by Israeli police'. In a post on X, PM Shehbaz said the sacrilege against one of Islam's holiest sites is not only an affront to Muslims worldwide but also a direct assault on international law and the collective conscience of humanity. 'Such systematic provocations by the occupying power, coupled with reckless calls for annexation, imperils the prospects for peace. 'Israel's shameless actions are deliberately inflaming tensions in Palestine and the wider region, pushing the Middle East closer to further instability and conflict.' The premier said Pakistan reiterates its urgent call for an immediate ceasefire, an end to all acts of aggression, and the revival of a credible peace process leading to an independent and viable State of Palestine, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, in accordance with international law and relevant UN resolutions. Furthermore, the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed 'strong condemnation' from the kingdom over the repeated provocative actions by Israeli occupation government officials against Al-Aqsa Mosque, warning that 'such practices fuel the conflict in the region'. The kingdom reiterated its urgent call on the international community to intervene and halt these violations of international laws and conventions by the Israeli occupation authorities, which undermine efforts to achieve peace and stability in the region, the Saudi Press Agency said. In a statement, the Jordanian Foreign Ministry condemned Wednesday's visit as a 'storming' and 'an unacceptable provocation', AFP reported. Jordan is the custodian of the site, which is Islam's third-holiest and a symbol of Palestinian national identity. Known to Jews as the Temple Mount, it is also Judaism's holiest place, revered as the site of the second temple destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. Under the status quo maintained by Israel, which has occupied east Jerusalem and its Old City since 1967, Jews and other non-Muslims are allowed to visit the compound during specified hours, but they are not permitted to pray there or display religious symbols. Hamas called Ben-Gvir's action a 'provocative and dangerous escalation', saying the visit was 'part of the ongoing genocide against our Palestinian people'. 'We call on our Palestinian people and our youth in the West Bank to escalate their confrontation… in defence of our land and our sanctities, foremost among them the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque,' it said in a statement.
Business Recorder
04-08-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Israel's Ben-Gvir says he prayed at Al Aqsa mosque compound
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound in occupied 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. 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 Ben-Gvir praying. Reuters could not immediately verify the content of the other videos.
L'Orient-Le Jour
03-08-2025
- Politics
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Israel's Ben-Gvir says he prayed at Al-Aqsa mosque compound
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 the 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. There were no immediate reports of violence on Sunday. A spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned Ben-Gvir's visit, which he said "crossed all red lines." "The international community, specifically the U.S. administration, is required to intervene immediately to put an end to the crimes of the settlers and the provocations of the extreme right-wing government in Al-Aqsa mosque, stop the war on the Gaza Strip and bring in humanitarian aid," Nabil Abu Rudeineh said in a statement.
LBCI
03-08-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
Israel's Ben-Gvir says he prayed at Al-Aqsa mosque compound
Far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir visited the Al-Aqsa mosque compound on Sunday and said he prayed there, defying the long-standing rules governing one of the most sensitive sites in the Middle East. Under a decades-old and delicate "status quo" arrangement with Islamic authorities, the Al-Aqsa mosque is administered by a Jordanian religious body. Jews are allowed to visit the site but are not permitted to pray there. Footage published by a small Jewish group called the Temple Mount Administration showed Ben Gvir leading a group of worshippers at the site. Other videos circulating online appeared to show him praying. Reuters was unable to immediately verify the content of those other clips. Reuters
Express Tribune
03-08-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Far-right Israeli minister Ben-Gvir visits Al-Aqsa, defying status quo at holy mosque
Listen to article 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". Read More: Israeli far-right minister renews calls for Gaza occupation 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. Also Read: Children in besieged Gaza dying at 'an unprecedented rate' 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. There were no immediate reports of violence on Sunday. A spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned Ben-Gvir's visit, which he said "crossed all red lines." "The international community, specifically the US administration, is required to intervene immediately to put an end to the crimes of the settlers and the provocations of the extreme right-wing government in Al-Aqsa mosque, stop the war on the Gaza Strip and bring in humanitarian aid," Nabil Abu Rudeineh said in a statement.
