Overview

• Itamar Ben-Gvir publicly prayed at Al-Aqsa Mosque on August 3, breaking a decades-old agreement that prohibits non-Muslim prayer at the Temple Mount compound.
• The Israeli prime minister’s office issued a statement affirming that the government’s commitment to the status quo on Temple Mount has not changed.
• Jordan’s foreign ministry condemned Ben-Gvir’s visit as a “blatant violation” of the historic legal pact, while Saudi Arabia and Pakistan issued similar rebukes.
• During his visit, Ben-Gvir called for Israel to conquer Gaza and urged Palestinians to leave the territory, underlining his far-right political agenda.
• The breach has sparked fears of renewed unrest in Jerusalem’s Old City and heightened tensions throughout the region.