Washington condemns Bin Ghafir’s attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on Tuesday urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to prevent further “provocative acts”, after far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir led prayers on the Temple Mount.

Clear indifference
In a strongly worded statement, previously criticized by his spokesman, Blinken said Ben Gvir showed “blatant disregard” for the current situation at the site which is dedicated to both Jews and Muslims. Blinken said: “Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office made it clear that the actions of Minister Ben Gvir go against Israeli policy. We will wait for the Israeli government to prevent similar events in the future. Blinken continued, “These provocative actions only exacerbate tensions at a crucial time, when the focus should be on the ongoing diplomatic efforts to reach a cease-fire agreement​​​​, to secure the liberation of all hosts, and to create conditions for broader regional stability.
Blinken’s comments come days after the White House also used a strong tone to respond to another far-right minister in Netanyahu’s government, Bezalel Smotrich, who criticized President Joe Biden’s efforts to end the ceasefire. to arrive in Gaza.