Occupied Jerusalem, ALRAY - Israeli minister of national security in the Israeli occupation government, Itamar Ben Gvir, has expressed his support for an immediate meeting of the Israeli government's cabinet, known as the "Knesset," to discuss the possibility of allowing Jews to have 24/7 access to and pray at the Al-Aqsa.
In a letter addressed to right-wing members of the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, Ben Gvir stated that he hopes that religious Zionist ministers and Likud party members in the cabinet would support these measures, even though some of them oppose the entry of settlers into the Temple Mount.
Ben Gvir also mentioned that the police have changed their approach to settler incursions into the holy Al-Aqsa compound and expressed his determination to continue working on this issue.
He called for discussions in the Mini-Cabinet for Political and Security Affairs regarding a change in the current situation at the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the holy compound in Jerusalem.
These calls from Ben Gvir come in the context of increased incursions by extremist settlers into the Al-Aqsa compound, organized by groups claiming a connection to the Temple Mount, particularly during Jewish holidays like the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). Some right-wing Israeli Knesset members have alleged that the Israeli police impose restrictions on settlers, preventing them from performing religious rituals inside the compound, such as prostration and prayer.
According to reports, in recent years, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has taken the warnings of Israeli security agencies regarding events at the holy Al-Aqsa compound seriously and has attempted to calm the situation. Incursions by extremist settlers and right-wing politicians have led to Palestinian uprisings in defense of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, notably in 1996, 2000, 2015, and during protests against the installation of electronic gates in 2017.
However, it's important to note that, as with many issues related to government administration in recent years, it is not certain that Netanyahu has full control over the situation regarding the Temple Mount.
Meanwhile, the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported that Netanyahu called for a private meeting with Itamar Ben Gvir in a hotel near Netanyahu's residence in Caesarea, in an attempt to ease tensions in their relationship. This came shortly after Netanyahu excluded Ben Gvir from security discussions held on the previous Sunday.
The newspaper also reported that members of the Likud party leadership joined these "reconciliation" efforts, telling Ben Gvir that "without him, Netanyahu's government would not survive."
The meeting between Netanyahu and Ben Gvir lasted for several hours and aimed to resolve the crisis between them, particularly in light of Ben Gvir's demands regarding the conditions of Palestinian prisoners and his exclusion from security discussions and other issues.
The newspaper quoted Likud sources as saying that "Netanyahu realized that he is obligated to reach agreements with Ben Gvir regarding his demands related to the conditions of prisoners," but it remains unclear whether any agreements or understandings were reached during the meeting.
