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In certainly one of his first acts as Israel’s minister of nationwide safety, the ultranationalist Itamar Ben-Gvir visited a Jerusalem holy website that’s sacred to Jews and Muslims early Tuesday underneath heavy guard, defying threats of violent repercussions and eliciting a livid response from the Palestinian management.
The go to to the location, a frequent flash level within the Previous Metropolis of Jerusalem the place previous Israeli actions have set off broader conflagrations, initially handed with out incident. However coming two days after Mr. Ben-Gvir took workplace, it served as an early indicator of the challenges posed by Israel’s new authorities, its most right-wing and religiously conservative but, within the home and worldwide arenas.
The Palestinian International Ministry condemned the tour as “an unprecedented provocation” and mentioned that it held Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel accountable for what it known as a “flagrant assault” on the holy website.
Hamas, the Islamic militant group that controls Gaza, the coastal Palestinian enclave the place Israel has fought a number of wars in recent times, had warned by means of the information media that any go to to the location by Mr. Ben-Gvir could be “a detonator” that might set off an explosion.
Mr. Ben-Gvir is probably the most high-profile official in years to go to the location, revered by Jews as Temple Mount, the situation of their two historical temples, and by Muslims because the Noble Sanctuary, the compound containing the Aqsa Mosque and different necessary Islamic shrines.
The holiest website for Jews, and the third holiest for Muslims, the compound was conquered by Israel throughout the Arab-Israeli Warfare of 1967. Underneath an uneasy establishment that has prevailed for many years, Jews are permitted to go to, as are non-Muslim vacationers, however they don’t seem to be supposed to wish there. That norm, lengthy enforced by the Israeli police within the curiosity of preserving public order, has been fraying in recent times.
The go to happened at about 7 a.m. and lasted for underneath quarter-hour. Whereas on the location, based on the Israeli information media, Mr. Ben-Gvir mentioned, “Our authorities won’t be deterred by Hamas’s threats. The Temple Mount is an important website on this planet to the Jewish individuals, and we are going to defend the liberty of motion for Muslims and Christians, but in addition for Jews who want to go to the mount. We’ll take care of anybody who makes threats with an iron fist.”
After the go to Mr. Ben-Gvir posted a photograph of himself on the mount on Twitter, with one of many Islamic shrines within the background. “The Israeli authorities of which I’m a member won’t give up to a vile group of murderers,” he wrote. “Temple Mount is open to all and if Hamas thinks that if it threatens me, that can deter me, that they had higher perceive that instances have modified.”
Gabby Sobelman contributed reporting from Rehovot, Israel.
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