Al-Aqsa Mosque
Al-Aqsa MosqueNati Shohat/Flash 90

The Ra’am Party, which represents the southern faction of the Islamic movement in the Knesset, on Tuesday issued a warning to the Netanyahu government against damage to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and an attempt to change the existing situation, following the visit to the Temple Mount of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.

In a statement, Ra'am stated that Ben Gvir’s visit is a "dangerous provocation of the feelings of about a billion Muslims who see the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque as an exclusive Islamic right" and "a violation of the Jordanian Hashemite guardianship of the Al-Aqsa Mosque."

Ra'am stressed that the entire Al-Aqsa Mosque in an area of 144 dunams (that is, the entire area of the Temple Mount) is the exclusive right of Muslims and a place that belonged only to them, and therefore it opposes the "breaking into" the site by ministers or other extremist elements, since "this could drag the country and the region into a state of chaos and instability."

The party called on the Muslim public in Israel and Jerusalem to continue ascending and praying at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, praising the activities of the Al-Aqsa Association and the Islamic movement that help transport Muslims to the place.

A message in a similar spirit was also conveyed by MK Ahmed Tibi (Ta'al). In an interview with Galei Tzahal (Army Radio), Tibi said, "This is a Muslim mosque. Period. It is a mosque for Muslims. Period. And the prayer there is for Muslims. Period. Do you want a major war? By the way, public opinion will never accept the breaking in of the Minister of Internal Security or an attempt to change the status quo or Jewish prayer at Al-Aqsa Mosque."