Palestinian resistance groups warn Israel over far-right minister’s visit to al-Aqsa

Palestinian resistance movements have condemned a visit by far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to the holy site of al-Aqsa Mosque, warning the occupying regime that there will be consequences for such acts of desecration.

The resistance groups made the remarks in a statement on Tuesday, after Ben-Gvir stormed the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied Old City of al-Quds under heavy security earlier in the day, according to Arabic-language al-Ahad television network.

“Ben-Gvir’s storming of al-Aqsa Mosque was dangerous and has provoked the feelings of our nation and the Muslim world and it may cause a religious war in the region,” they said.

“The occupying regime is fully responsible for the consequences of its aggression against the Palestinian nation and their Islamic and Christian sanctuaries,” they added.

The resistance groups further called on all the Palestinians to mobilize to confront the Israeli regime’s plots for al-Aqsa and increase their presence at the holy site.

They further noted that they are seriously monitoring Israeli extremists’ continued attacks on al-Aqsa and will keep defending the holy site, stressing that the occupying regime will not be successful in changing the realities on the ground.

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Earlier, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned Ben-Gvir's visit to al-Aqsa, calling it an "unprecedented provocation."

Hamas spokesperson Abdel-Latif Al Qanoua also said, “Any escalation in al-Aqsa Mosque will explode the situation and the occupation regime will be responsible for any consequences of this.”

On Tuesday, Ben-Gvir entered the holy site of al-Aqsa Mosque through the Moroccan Gate, also known as the Mughrabi Gate, in a move that threatens a backlash from Palestinians who have labeled the act an “unprecedented provocation,” Palestine’s official Wafa news agency reported.

Ben-Gvir was sworn in as Israeli minister of "security" last week, as part of the occupying regime’s new far-right cabinet, led by Benjamin Netanyahu.

Hardline Israeli legislators and extremist settlers regularly storm the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied city, a provocative move that infuriates Palestinians. Such mass settler break-ins almost always take place at the behest of Tel Aviv-backed temple groups and under the auspices of the Israeli police in al-Quds.

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Such mass settler break-ins almost always take place at the behest of Tel Aviv-backed temple groups.

The al-Aqsa Mosque compound, which sits just above the Western Wall plaza, houses both the Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque.

The Jewish visitation of al-Aqsa is permitted, but according to an agreement signed between Israel and the Jordanian government in the wake of Israel’s occupation of East Jerusalem al-Quds in 1967, non-Muslim worship at the compound is prohibited.

Back in May 2021, frequent acts of violence against Palestinian worshipers at the al-Aqsa Mosque led to an 11-day war between Palestinian resistance groups in the besieged Gaza Strip and the Israeli regime, during which the regime killed at least 260 Palestinians, including 66 children.

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