Israeli security minister leads hundreds into Al-Aqsa Mosque compound

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir joined hundreds of Israelis in a controlled visit to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem on Wednesday, according to security officials. The incursion was conducted under heavy police protection, with Israeli security forces establishing a significant perimeter around the group as they toured the sensitive religious site.

During the visit, Ben-Gvir declared that Israeli forces "are the owners of the place," asserting Israeli sovereignty over the compound. The statement underscores a point of deep contention between Israelis and Palestinians, for whom Al-Aqsa represents one of Islam's holiest shrines and a symbol of Palestinian heritage in Jerusalem.

The visit marks another flashpoint in the long-running dispute over access to the Temple Mount, where both Jews and Muslims claim historical and religious connections. Israeli policy permits Jewish visits to the compound under certain restrictions, though Jewish prayer remains officially prohibited within the mosque itself. Palestinian and Arab leaders have repeatedly condemned such visits, viewing them as provocative assertions of Israeli control over a site they regard as exclusively Islamic.

The heavily secured nature of the visit reflects the intense sensitivities surrounding the site, which has been a recurring flashpoint for Israeli-Palestinian tensions for decades. Such incursions have historically triggered protests and occasionally escalated into broader conflicts in the region.