Provocations by the Eretz Yisrael (Greater Israel) gang upon one of the holiest Muslim sites, the al-Aqsa Mosque, served as one of their most effective methods of enraging, radicalizing and recruiting for Hamas in the months prior to the Oct 7, 2023 assault. Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israeli National Security Minister since December 2022, has specialized in this, and today, surrounded by heavy police protection, he rejoiced in leading thousands of such provocateurs in swarming the holy site.
While Jews normally commemorate today Tisha B’av with solemn prayers, in sad mourning for the destruction of the First and Second Temples, Ben-Gvir gloried over the chance to stick his thumb into Muslim eyeballs. While visitors are welcomed onto the holy site, non-Muslim religious services are not permitted there; so, of course, Ben-Gvir made a video of him holding a Jewish prayer book, openly worshipping for the camera. He told reporters: “Look at what is happening here—Jews praying, feeling like they are the owners here. This never happened here before. This is happening in more and more places. Everywhere, people understand that Israel is in charge. There is still more to do, and with God’s help, we will move forward.”
Knesset member Amit Halevi, from Netanyahu’s Likud party, and Rabbi Shimshon Elboim, head of the Temple Mount Organizations, raised Israeli flags while others sang the Israeli national anthem. For what it is worth, Orthodox Jews consider it forbidden to enter the grounds, much less celebrate there.
