Criticizing the Israeli Minister's Visit to Al Aqsa Mosque Complex, Leader of Hezbollah: Can Cause Regional Escalation

Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. (Twitter/@itamarbengvir)

JAKARTA - Israel's right-wing Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir's visit to the Al Aqsa Mosque Complex could "cause an explosion across the region," Hezbollah Leader Hassan Nasrallah said on Tuesday.

Israel's new right-wing Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir briefly visited the Al Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem on Tuesday, a site also revered by Jews, prompting strong criticism from the Palestinians and some Arab countries.

Video footage shows him strolling around the outskirts of the compound, surrounded by heavy security and flanked by fellow Orthodox Jews.

Regarding Ben-Gvir's visit to the Temple Mount, the Jewish name for the site, Nasrallah said, "Violations of holy sites in Jerusalem could lead to regional escalation," reported by Haaretz January 4.

"I say to supporters of Israel, if you don't want another regional war besides the war in Ukraine and Russia, then stop Israel from taking stupid steps," he said.

"What happened at the Al Aqsa compound and the attitude towards Palestinians from many Arab countries, guarantees that they are turning in a dangerous direction. If Al Aqsa Mosque and holy sites are damaged, it will not damage the situation inside Palestine alone, but throughout territory," Nasrallah warned.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. (Wikimedia Commons/Khamenei.ir)

"We are telling every country in the world, if you don't want war in this region, you have to contain these crazy extremists," he said.

Ben-Gvir's visit, which drew international criticism, comes after he made statements he wanted to change the holy site's long-standing religious status quo to allow Jews to pray there.

On the eve of the election, Ben-Gvir said he would demand that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu introduce "equal rights for Jews" at the Al Aqsa Mosque Complex.

"Temple Mount is open to all," Ben-Gvir said on Twitter, after yesterday's visit.

An Israeli official said the 15-minute visit by Ben-Gvir, a senior member of Netanyahu's new religious-nationalist cabinet, complied with provisions dating back decades to allow non-Muslims to visit on condition they do not pray. Ben-Gvir on this occasion did not approach the mosque.

Ben-Gvir said freedom of movement would be upheld at the compound, without mentioning freedom of worship.

To assuage anger over the visit, an official in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the prime minister was fully committed to the status quo of the site which had for decades only allowed Muslim worship there.

It is known that condemnation of the visit came from a number of countries, including Egypt and the United Arab Emirates which recognize Israel. Saudi Arabia, where Netanyahu wants to forge a peace deal, also criticized Ben-Gvir's actions. Turkey, which recently ended a long-standing diplomatic rift with Israel, condemned the visit as "provocative".

לאורך כל הלילה דובר חמאס איים עליי שלא אעלה להר הבית, אני לא מבין למה לא מחסלים אותו בסיכול ממוקד? עליתי הבוקר להר הבית להתפלל ולהעביר מסר: אסור לנו להתקפל ולהכנע בפני איומי המחבלים. מי ששולט בהר הבית, שולט בארץ ישראל כולה. זו הארץ שלנו.

צילום: מנהלת הר הבית. pic.twitter.com/GzayClQ8jA

 — איתמר בן גביר (@itamarbengvir) March 31, 2022