Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir is continuing his effort to blow up the West Bank with a religious war. Middle East Eye reported this morning that Ben-Gvir raided the mosque under heavy police protection even as it remains closed to Muslim worshippers. Israeli authorities closed the mosque on Feb. 28, at the start of the war against Iran. At the same time, Israeli police have a plan, still to be approved by the High Court, to expand and regularize incursions into the mosque by Israeli settlers while limiting access by Muslim worshippers.
Al-Quds International Institution said the plan “deepens the division of Al-Aqsa Mosque” between Muslims and Jews. “It uses the war to transform Al-Aqsa into a shared Jewish-Islamic holy site as a prelude to its complete Judaization,” the foundation said in a statement on April 5.
It added that the move would place Ben-Gvir in effective control of the mosque’s affairs, sidelining the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf, which holds recognized exclusive administrative authority, including control over access. “This represents a Zionist insult to Arab and Muslim kings, presidents, prime ministers and foreign ministers—who have limited themselves to verbal appeals—reducing them to mere onlookers awaiting Ben-Gvir’s discretion over one of their holiest sites,” the statement said. “This is a deeply shameful and unacceptable stance that the Muslim nation must not accept.”
