Israeli Minister Ben-Gvir Storms Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound, Performs Rituals

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir entered the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem on Sunday, accompanied by a heavy police escort. Local sources and eyewitnesses reported that Ben-Gvir conducted a provocative tour of the mosque's grounds, proceeding to its eastern section where he performed public prayers and Talmudic rituals with a group of settlers.

Concurrently with the minister's visit, Israeli forces imposed strict restrictions on worshippers entering Al-Aqsa, checking their identities and barring many young men from entry to ensure the minister's security. This incursion follows a pattern of similar visits by Ben-Gvir to the mosque, which typically draw widespread Palestinian, Arab, and international condemnation.

These actions have raised concerns about attempts to alter the legal and historical status quo at the holy site in Jerusalem. Ben-Gvir's visits are often seen as challenging the existing arrangements at the compound.