International outrage over Itamar Ben-Gvir’s Temple Mount visit threatens hostage negotiations

Qatar and the United States warned that attempts by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to change the status quo on the Temple Mount could harm efforts for a hostage deal.

Qatar’s Foreign Minister condemned Ben-Gvir’s actions, calling it a “provocative act” and a “flagrant violation of international law and the Hashemite custodianship of the holy sites” in Jerusalem, such as the Temple Mount, known to Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif.

“The Ministry warned of the impact of these violations the ongoing efforts to reach an agreement in the Gaza Strip and urged the international community to take urgent action,” Qatar’s Foreign Ministry stated in a post on X.

Statement |Qatar Condemns in Strongest Terms Storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by Two Israeli Ministers, Knesset Members, Hundreds of Settlers#MOFAQatar pic.twitter.com/HOROzjsDAT

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Qatar (@MofaQatar_EN) August 13, 2024

US State Department Deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said that any “unilateral actions like this that jeopardize the status quo are unacceptable.”

“It detracts from what we think is a vital time as we are working to get this ceasefire deal across the finish line. It detracts from what our stated goal is for the region, which is a two-state solution, a Palestinian state and an Israeli state that is side by side, living with dignity and harmony,” he stated.

Ben-Gvir visited al-Aqsa Mosque compound on the Temple Mount and said that he had the right to authorize Jewish prayer at that site, which is the holiest in Judaism and the third holiest in Israel.

Global condemnation amid hostage negotiations

The status quo agreement in place since 1967 permits Jews to visit the site but not pray there. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that this status quo has not changed.

The Saudi Arabian Foreign Ministry warned of the consequences of such actions, which provoke millions of Muslims around the world at a particularly emotionally sensitive time due to the Gaza war.

“The Ministry stressed the importance of respecting religious sanctities,” it said.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said “This behavior is unhelpful and it is unduly provocative.”

The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, similarly issued a condemnation.

Jordan, whose Hashemite Kingdom has a special custodial relationship to the site, called for international protection for the Palestinian people as it affirmed that the site was reserved exclusively for Muslim worship.

Ben-Gvir’s trip to the Temple Mount took place as Qatar was set on Thursday to host the latest round of talks to secure an agreement for the release of the remaining 115 hostages in Gaza.