From the Liveblog of
Monday, August 26, 2024
Fuming Palestinians claim Ben Gvir announced plans for synagogue on Temple Mount
The Palestinian Authority says a remark from National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir expressing support for a synagogue being placed atop the Temple Mount in Jerusalem is tantamount to an explicit call for the Al-Aqsa Mosque to be razed and replaced with a Jewish house of worship.
In a statement, the PA’s foreign ministry calls on allies from the international arena to “pressure Israel to force it to put an end to Ben Gvir’s practices, statements and provocative stances.”
Speaking to Army Radio earlier in the day, Ben Gvir said Jews would not be prevented from praying atop the Temple Mount, currently banned as part of a status quo agreement governing the sensitive site.
After noting that even he cannot do whatever he wants at the compound, like waving an Israeli flag, he was asked if he would also want a synagogue there if it were possible, to which he answered in the affirmative.
A statement from Hamas claims, however, that Ben Gvir announced plans “to build a synagogue inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque,” urging Palestinians to mass at the site “to confront the occupation’s plans.”
In a statement, the mufti of Jerusalem speaks out against “the threat of a synagogue” at the site and Jews visiting the site praying or dancing.
Such moves “push the region toward an explosion that will affect the entire world,” it says.
