(Washington Insider Magazine) – Israel’s new national security minister’s Al Aqsa visit to Jerusalem has sparked outrage in the form of stern words among Palestinians and Israelis.
In this Palestine news update, the militant group Hamas warned the Israeli government that a move like this would be crossing a line that could lead to potential war between Israel and Palestine.
What Does This Al-Aqsa Visit Mean For A Palestine News Update?
The third-holiest site in Islam is the Al-Aqsa mosque located in East Jerusalem. Jews refer to the area of the mosque as “Temple Mount,” where the Dome of the Rock is exposed in gold near the Al-Aqsa mosque.
Temple Mount is a sacred place in Judaism, which is why Ben-Gvir’s visit is notable for sparking talks between Hamas and Israel.
While Hamas has played a key role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the militant group claims they don’t want a new military escalation and plan to gauge reactions from the United States and Arab nations before making any strategic moves.
Ben-Gvir’s visit to Temple Mount and other actions gained him notoriety among Arab nations and may be the first test of the new Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s regime.
Hamas is showing some initial restraint because they claim they are looking for economic and political gains for its citizens instead of heightened tensions with Israelis.
Additionally, Hamas tried to free several Palestinian prisoners captured by Israel in exchange for the human remains of Israeli soldiers killed in 2014 during the war and two Israeli citizens presumed to be alive and held in the same territory.
Speculation from the left-wing news publication Haaretz indicated that a key moment in the conflict would be on Friday when Muslims and Jews gather at the holy site for prayer.
Historically, clashes between Israeli police officers and Palestinian worshippers have gotten out of control as both sides have resorted to violence instead of worship.
Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas responded by claiming he will raise the issue with the United Nations (UN), which is set to meet on Thursday afternoon.
