Washington, United States — The United Nations on Tuesday denounced Israel’s far-right national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir for leading prayers at the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound, calling the move “unduly provocative.”
“We are against any efforts to change the status quo within the holy sites,” said deputy spokesman Farhan Haq. “Al-Aqsa mosque, like the other holy sites in Jerusalem, should be left to themselves and should be controlled by the existing religious authorities for the sites. This sort of behavior is unhelpful and it is unduly provocative.”
The EU condemned “provocations” by Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir after officials said he performed prayers at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in annexed east Jerusalem.
“The EU strongly condemns the provocations by Israeli Min. Ben Gvir who, during his visit to the Holy Sites, advocated for the violation of the status quo,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell wrote on X.
The United States on Tuesday criticized Israel’s far-right national security minister for leading prayers at the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound, saying he had hurt efforts for talks toward a Gaza ceasefire.
“The United States stands firmly for preservation of the historic status quo with respect to the holy sites of Jerusalem and any unilateral action, which this would be…, that jeopardizes such a status quo is unacceptable,” State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters.
“Not only is it unacceptable, it detracts from what we think is a vital time, as we are working to get this ceasefire deal across the finish line,” he said, referring to a US-led push for talks Thursday to stop the Israel-Hamas war.
Itamar Ben Gvir, one of the far-right ministers in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition, led hundreds of Israelis into the Al-Aqsa mosque compound on Tuesday to mark a Jewish holiday.
The visit defied rules in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem that allow Jews and other non-Muslims to visit the mosque compound but not to pray or display religious symbols.
The mosque is Islam’s third holiest site but the compound also is Judaism’s holiest place, revered as the site of the ancient temple destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.