Israel’s new Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, far-right party leader Otzma Yehudit, visited the unannounced Esplanade of the Mosques, for the Jews Temple Mount, escorted by the police. “It is the most important place for the people of Israel – he declared – We will maintain freedom of movement for Muslims and Christians, but Jews will also climb there and we will respond to threats with an iron fist”. Gvir, reports the Jerusalem Post, assured that the Israeli government “will not give in to threats of Hamas“.
The Palestinian National Authority, which fears that the new government of Israel plans a change in the status of the Esplanade, he was quick to condemn the “incursion” and called it “an unprecedented and dangerous provocation”.
According to Israeli media, after the minister’s visit, the army is preparing for new rocket launches from the Gaza Strip and “will respond accordingly”.