Israel’s new security minister courts controversy with al-Aqsa visit

Fuel on the fire: Israel’s new far-right security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, sparked controversy with a visit to the al-Aqsa Mosque flanked by security forces yesterday, triggering condemnation from the Palestinians and several Arab countries, according to the BBC. Ben-Gvir’s visit to the site, his first public act after only five days in the government, was denounced by the Palestinian Foreign Ministry as an “unprecedented provocation and a dangerous escalation of the conflict.”

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry expressed “regret” that “extremist elements” entered the holy site and called on all sides not to escalate tensions in a statement. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Qatar also criticized the act.

History lesson: The second Intifada in 2000 kicked off after former Israeli leader Ariel Sharon visited the compound.