Tensions rise in Middle East as Israeli security chief visits Jerusalem holy site

Jan. 3 (UPI) -- Israel's newly installed minister of national security sparked anger among Palestinians after visiting a hotly contested holy site in Jerusalem on Tuesday despite threats of violence and protests by various Middle East groups.

Itamar Ben-Gvir, who was sworn in five days ago by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was surrounded by heavy police security as he arrived at a Biblical temple considered by Jews and Muslims to be one of the most sacred places on Earth.

"The Temple Mount is open to everyone," he tweeted on Tuesday along with an image of himself and the security detail walking past the iconic golden Dome of the Rock.

Muslims regard the compound as the third holiest site in Islam and refer to it as or al-Aqsa Mosque or Haram al-Sharif, in honor of Muhammad's ascent to Heaven.

Jews, on the other hand, also lay claim to the site and refer to the compound as the Temple Mount, which is considered the most sacred place in Judaism.

Jews and other non-Muslims regularly visit the site, however, there is a long-standing tradition for them not to pray.

Ben-Gvir, who is the leader of the Otzma Yehudit party, previously indicated that he wants to change that rule to allow Jews to worship there.

Ben-Gvir's visit infuriated the Palestinian Foreign Ministry, which blasted Netanyahu for a "flagrant attack" on the holy site.

In a statement issued Tuesday, the Palestinian leadership condemned the visit and said the provocative move by the Israeli government threatened to create further conflict between the longtime adversaries.

"The storming of al-Aqsa mosque by the extremist minister Ben-Gvir" is an "unprecedented provocation and a dangerous escalation," the statement said.

The latest tensions come as Netanyahu's new right-wing government takes a more hardline stance toward Palestinians amid rising tumult in several Israeli-occupied territories.

In recent days, the Islamic militant group Hamas -- which commands the Gaza Strip -- has also vowed to retaliate with violence if Ben-Gvir visited the holy site, while saying the site "will remain Palestinian, Arab, Islamic."

Meanwhile, senior officials in the Israeli government have made calls for annexing the West Bank, which the Palestinians consider their own territory for a future state.

During his first day in office Monday, new Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen called for Palestinian leaders to face a war crimes tribunal at The Hague. Late last week, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution which called on the International Court of Justice to assess the state of the ongoing conflict.

A visit by Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon to the sacred compound back in 2000, triggered a deadly Palestinian uprising that lasted for several years.

More recently, violence erupted at the site in May 2021 when Hamas fired rockets towards Jerusalem, which touched off an 11-day clash with Israel.