Ben-Gvir's Al-Aqsa Visit: Incitement or Routine Practice?
JERUSALEM, April 12. Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was observed at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Sunday. This event follows previous similar visits by Ben-Gvir to the site, which Israel refers to as the Temple Mount, and has once again elicited official condemnation from Jordan. Ben-Gvir asserted his intention was to facilitate increased access for Jewish worshippers.
Reuters, in its coverage, described the compound as 'one of the most sensitive sites in the Middle East,' acknowledging its dual significance as the third holiest site in Islam and the most sacred in Judaism. However, what this framing omits is the consistent pattern of Israeli officials, particularly those aligned with extreme right-wing factions, engaging in activities at Al-Aqsa that directly
challenge the internationally recognized status quo maintaining Muslim custodianship and worship rights. This 'visit' was not simply a religious act but a political statement, viewed by Palestinians and regional powers as a deliberate provocation intended to assert Israeli sovereignty over a site central to Palestinian identity and religious practice. The underlying context often erased from
mainstream narratives is that such actions are not isolated incidents but part of a sustained campaign to alter the demographic and religious character of Jerusalem, which has been under Israeli occupation since 1967. This pattern echoes the coordinated efforts to systematically dispossess Palestinians from areas like Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan, leveraging legal and administrative mechanisms to