Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir made a provocative visit to the al-Aqsa mosque compound in Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem on Thursday as part of his effort to thwart a hostage deal with Hamas.
Ben Gvir, leader of the Jewish Power party, said in a video he recorded in front of the Dome of the Rock that Netanyahu shouldn’t make a deal with Hamas despite the increasing domestic pressure.
“I am praying and am also working hard so that the prime minister will have the strength not to fold and to go on to victory: to add military pressure, to stop their fuel [from entering Gaza] — to win,” he said.
Under the status quo at al-Aqsa, known as the Temple Mount to the Israelis, non-Muslims can visit the site but cannot pray. Ben Gvir and other extremist settlers frequently defy the ban, raising fears among Palestinians that Israel might try to take over the mosque, the third holiest site in Islam.
Ben Gvir said in the video that he had “to the most important place for the State of Israel, for the Jewish people, to pray for the hostages to return home — but without a reckless deal, without surrender.”
Ben Gvir’s visits to Al-Aqsa are all the more provocative since he is the minister of national security, a powerful position that puts him in charge of Israel’s police, border guards, and prisoners.
Israeli police raids on al-Aqsa were a major motivation for Hamas’s attack on southern Israel, which was named al-Aqsa Flood. A source close to Hamas told Reuters back in October 2023: “It was triggered by scenes and footage of Israel storming al-Aqsa mosque during Ramadan, beating worshippers, attacking them, dragging elderly and young men out of the mosque. All this fuelled and ignited the anger.”
Nice stuff from Dave…..!!!!!
He is trying to start more shit.
Aholes are gonna be Aholes, and Israel is just bursting at the seams with Aholes.
People forget that the October 7 Hamas attack is called "the al-Agsa Flood."
It was triggered by a meeting of senior Israeli right-wingers under the Mosque in which they declared to destroy the Mosque and replace it with a new "Third Temple." They even intended to import the necessary sacrificial cow to sanctify it.
They knew this would trigger a Hamas response. They planned for that. It was just the triggering event for what was intended – a wide Middle East war which pits Israel and the US against all of Israel's and the US' enemies.
Everything occurring was PLANNED. Remember that. The only thing that wasn't planned for is the resilience and capability of the Axis of Resistance.
But Israel and the US still harbor the delusion that the Axis can be defeated. Which is why the wider war is still in the cards.
Settlers had rampaged through Jerusalem for weeks before 6Oct, then the mosque was violated by Israelis.
Not credible, unless Hamas had a time machine, so they could go back two years into the past and start digging tunnels and rehearsing for the slaughter of civilians.
Hamas are not a "resistance". They are a mafia that illegally occupies a territory. How sad that you think the murder of children and babies is "resistance". The only thing Hamas is resisting is facing reality.
Replace “Hamas” with “Likud” in that comment and the result is equally valid.
Generally speaking, all governments are mafias and are morally equivalent, as none are based on any objective morality – in which case, there is no need to discuss morality, international law, etc. – only strength.
Applying your perspective, then Israel has no reason to hold back from leveling Gaza as the Romans did with Carthage – "No stone left on another" – as it is just one group of gangsters fighting another.
https://jcpa.org/the-status-of-jerusalem-in-international-and-israeli-law/
When Jewish settlers went into that mosque and conducted religious rites I told the wife there will be hell to pay for this! They burn Paris if a Koran gets desecrated. And here we are, Sampson Option and all!
The "victory" he speaks of means certain death of the remaining hostages. Not by the hands of Hamas, but the bombs by the IDF.
First of all, how absurd is it that people are told how they can pray in their own country, despite their historical ties to the temple that existed on the site. Second, the often repeated "third holiest site" in Islam is disputed by some.
Jerusalem is not part of Israel.
According to United States policy, Jerusalem should be "recognized as the capital of the State of Israel."
This was stated by the US Congress in the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/1322
The US embassy is located in Jerusalem, as of 2019.
You are free, of course, to disagree with your government.
Also, let me ask you this: What is the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia? What is the capital of North Korea? What is the capital of the United States?
Israel agreed to the borders set in UNR 181 as a condition of UN membership. Since Israel remains a member of the UN and since UNR 181 has never been modified, those borders remain Israel’s borders. And Jerusalem is outside them. The position of the US government (which is not “my” government) is irrelevant.
1. On January 23, 1950, the Knesset issued a declaration stating that “with the establishment of the State of Israel, Jerusalem has returned to be its capital.”
If this is a violation of the agreement by Israel with the UN, then the UN has a right to sanction or expel Israel. So far, they have not done so.
2. My impression was that you were a citizen of the United States. That would make the US government your government. You may not support them, but that does not change the reality of their existence.
3. You did not answer the question. What right does North Korea have to declare its capital? The same with Saudi Arabia, which in 1932 – a few years before Israel was founded – was conquered by the House of Saud.
Do you also feel that North Korea and Saudi Arabia have no right to declare their own capitals? Or are they different?
States don’t have rights, and I don’t operate on feelings.
But the Israeli regime’s borders are set in UNR 181, and Jerusalem is outside those borders. Those are just facts of reality.
Huh? Of course states have rights; they wouldn't exist without declaring their own boundaries and rights. And, although you have ignored my question, I assume you do not challenge the right of other nations to declare their national capitals. And nations have the right to join or not join the UN and other international organizations, declare wars, send and recall ambassadors, send national teams to the Olympics, and make treaties – which by definition are agreements between states.
As for your lack of feelings, I think you misinterpret the question. The question can be rephrased as, do you recognize Pyongyang as the capital of North Korea and Riyadh as the capital of Saudi Arabia? Or do you assert that countries do not have the right to claim capitals?
Again, states don’t have rights. Words mean things.
I notice that the DPRK regime operates out of Pyongyang, the KSA regime operates out of Riyadh, and the Israeli regime operates out of occupied Jerusalem. None of those facts are relevant to the fact that Jerusalem is not in Israel.
OK, thanks for clarifying.
It just seems your observation of phenomenon is inconsistent. Why is the presence of North Korea in its capital merely noticed, while you view the capital of Israel as occupied? If Israel occupies Jerusalem, then it must legally belong to someone else. Who does it legally belong to? I'm curious about your logic.
Jerusalem has been attacked 52 times, captured and recaptured 44 times, besieged 23 times, and destroyed twice. It was part of Canaan, Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia, the Roman empire, the Byzantine empire, the Persian empire, the Mongol empire, Umayyad empire, Abbasids, Tulurids, Tatimids, Seljuks, the Kingdom of Jerusalem (Crusader), Mamluks, Ottoman empire, British empire, and Jordan – none of which have made claims on the land.
If it belongs to the people who live there, then it is worth noting that Jerusalem has had a Jewish majority since the 1860s. However, it seems its sovereignty is no difference then any piece of land, such as Pyongyang and Riyadh. If not, why not? There must be some logic behind your ascertain.
“If Israel occupies Jerusalem, then it must legally belong to someone else. Who does it legally belong to? I’m curious about your logic.”
Per UNR 181, Jerusalem belongs to no one. It is an “international city” which, once the occupation ends, is to be administered by the UN.
Pray to whom…? Moses or Mohammad…?!
”Let there be Peace on Earth and let it begin with me….With every step I take, a Peace for eternity! With God as the Father, Christ as his son and Mary as the Mother, there can be Peace on Earth for Everyone of us,of all faiths…”
The Crusaders and Muslims fought eight bloody wars over Jerusalem. For the entire history of Islam, Jerusalem was under the rule of Muslims. It was toward Jerusalem that Muslims first prayed, and it is from the Temple Mount in Jerusalem that Muhammad ascended to Heaven to receive his final revelation.