Tel Aviv, Israel (AP) — Israel’s far-right national security minister led prayers on Sunday in Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy land, eliciting international condemnation and escalating tensions as Israel faces strong criticism of the war in Gaza.
I have Itamar Ben-Gvir I visited frequently Jerusalem Hill Top Compound contested during the war in Gaza.
The Jews respect this place as the temple stand where the Biblical temple once stood. It is the sacred place in Judaism. Today it is home to the Al Aqsa Mosque, the third most ridiculous place in Islam. Compound tensions have frequently spread to violence over the years.
It was the latest rebellion by a 49-year-old ultra-nationalist settler leader who transformed from outlaws and provocates into one of Israel’s most influential politicians over decades.
This looks at Ben Gwil’s details:
Why was the visit considered a provocation?
Since Israel captured the site in 1967, Jews have been allowed to visit, but they could not pray there. Palestinians consider the mosque to be a national symbol, and visits by Jewish leaders are provocative and potential precursors of Israel. Most rabbis forbid Jews to pray on the ground, but in recent years there has been a growing movement of Jews who support worship there. Ben-Gvir has long been making greater demands Jewish access to the holy land.
Ben Gwyr was visiting to welcome the Jewish holiday at Tisha Bhav, a day of mourning and repentance that reflected the destruction of the First and Second Temples, as well as the important events of Jewish history.
Visits like Ben-Gvir are legal. Israeli media said it was the first time the visit had actively led aloud to prayer. Ben Gwil also called for Israel to conquer all of the Gaza Strip, declare sovereignty, end the war and encourage “voluntary” migration from Gaza to help them conquer all of the Gaza Strip. Palestinians say the immigration programme is a disguise of forced exile.
In response to Ben Gwil’s visit, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the current situation on the site remains the same and will not change to allow Jewish prayers.
I’m used to the law
Ben Goville has been convicted eight times of crimes supporting racism and terrorist organizations. The Army banned him from mandatory military service when he thought he was taking his opinion to extremes as a teenager.
Ben Gwil gained notoriety as a recent follower for his youth Radical Rabbi Meir Kahane. he At first I became a citizen In 1995, when he broke the hood decoration from the then-Itsuhak Rabin car.
“We got to his car, and we got to him too,” he said. He said a few weeks before Rabin was assassinated by Jewish extremists opposed his peace efforts with the Palestinians.
Two years later, Ben-Gvir was responsible for organizing protests, including death threats, forcing Irish singer Sinead O’Connor. Cancel concert for peace In Jerusalem.
Move to mainstream
Ben Gwil’s political rise It was the culmination of years of efforts by media-savvy lawmakers to gain legitimacy. But it also reflected a rightward shift in Israeli voters that led his religious, ultranationalist ideology to a mainstream reduced hope for Palestinian independence.
Ben Goville was trained as a lawyer and recognized as a successful defense counsel for extremist Jews accused of violence against Palestinians.
With his quick wit and cheerful attitude, the outspoken Ben Gwil has become a popular fixture in the media, paving the way for him to enter politics. He was first elected to Congress in 2021.
Ben Gwil called for his political opponent to be deported. In the 2022 episode, he swings his pistol around and encourages police to open fires in a Palestinian stone spawning group in a tense Jerusalem neighborhood. In his cabinet post, Ben Gwil oversaw the country’s police. He used his influence to encourage Netanyahu to push forward the war in Gaza, and boasted that he recently blocked past efforts to reach a ceasefire.
As the Minister of National Security, he encourages police to hold strict boundaries against anti-government protesters.
Controversial Minister
Ben Goville secured a cabinet post after the 2022 election that led his far-right partners, including Netanyahu and Ben Goville’s Jewish party to power.
“Last year, I was on a mission to save Israel,” says Ben Gwil. He told reporters Before that election. “Millions of citizens are waiting for a real right-wing government. It’s time to give it to them.”
Ben Gwil is the magnet of controversy during his tenure, encouraging a massive distribution of handguns to Jews, supporting Netanyahu’s controversial attempts, attempting to overhaul the country’s legal system, and frequently slamming American leaders for the few recognized people against Israel.
Resignation and return to Netanyahu’s Cabinet
Ben Gwil He temporarily resigned He expressed his disapproval from Prime Minister Netanyahu’s cabinet earlier this year Gaza Cerezage Contract.
The ceasefire took place from January 19th to March 1st. Hamas released 25 Israeli hostages and eight other bodies In return for Nearly 1,800 Palestinian prisonersincluding senior extremists serving life sentences for fatal attacks. Israeli forces were pulled back to buffer zones, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians I went back to what was left in their homes.and there was a surge in humanitarian assistance.
Ben Gwil’s resignation did not stop the ceasefire, but weakened Netanyahu’s governing coalition. When did Ben Gwil join the cabinet? Israel has ended the ceasefire I returned to active fighting in Gaza in March 2025.
last week, Netherlands Ben-Gvir and far-right Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich have banned entry. UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway Financial sanctions imposed To two men last month.
