Worldwide Condemnation of Provocations by Far-right Israeli Minister at Al-Aqsa Mosque

Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir previously visited Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound on July 17 © - / AFP/File
Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir previously visited Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound on July 17 © - / AFP/File
TT

Worldwide Condemnation of Provocations by Far-right Israeli Minister at Al-Aqsa Mosque

Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir previously visited Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound on July 17 © - / AFP/File
Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir previously visited Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound on July 17 © - / AFP/File

The United Nations and several countries on Tuesday denounced Israel's far-right national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir for leading prayers at the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound, calling the move "unduly provocative."

"We are against any efforts to change the status quo within the holy sites," said deputy spokesman Farhan Haq.

"Al-Aqsa mosque, like the other holy sites in Jerusalem, should be left to themselves and should be controlled by the existing religious authorities for the sites. This sort of behavior is unhelpful and it is unduly provocative."

Itamar Ben Gvir, one of the far-right ministers in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition, led hundreds of Israelis into the Al-Aqsa mosque compound on Tuesday to mark a Jewish holiday.

The visit defied rules in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem that allow Jews and other non-Muslims to visit the mosque compound but not to pray or display religious symbols.

The mosque is Islam's third holiest site but the compound also is Judaism's holiest place, revered as the site of the ancient temple destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.

The United States also criticized the move, affirming that it stands "firmly for preservation of the historic status quo with respect to the holy sites of Jerusalem and any unilateral action, which this would be..., that jeopardizes such a status quo is unacceptable," State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters.

"Not only is it unacceptable, it detracts from what we think is a vital time, as we are working to get this ceasefire deal across the finish line," he said, referring to a US-led push for talks Thursday to stop the Israel-Hamas war, according to AFP.

France's foreign ministry condemned the Israeli minister calling his action as an unacceptable "provocation".

Urging Israel to respect the status quo at Islam's third-holiest site -- also Judaism's holiest place -- the ministry statement said: "This new provocation is unacceptable."

Also, the EU condemned what it described as "provocations" by Ben Gvir.

"The EU strongly condemns the provocations by Israeli Min. Ben Gvir who, during his visit to the Holy Sites, advocated for the violation of the status quo," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell wrote on X.

On Tuesday morning, Ben Gvir and some 2,250 other Israelis walked through the compound in groups, singing Jewish hymns, under the protection of Israeli police, an official from the Waqf, the Jordanian body that is custodian of the site, told AFP.

Ben Gvir, who has often defied the Israeli government's longstanding ban on Jewish prayer at the mosque compound, vowed to "defeat Hamas" in Gaza in a video he filmed during his visit.

The latest incident comes as the EU and other international powers are trying to calm tensions in the region as Iran warns of retaliation against Israel after the killing of a Hamas leader in Tehran.



India’s Navy Launches Submarine, Warships to Guard against China’s Presence in Indian Ocean

A view of the Indian Navy's three frontline vessels during the commissioning ceremony in Mumbai, India, 15 January 2025. (EPA)
A view of the Indian Navy's three frontline vessels during the commissioning ceremony in Mumbai, India, 15 January 2025. (EPA)
TT

India’s Navy Launches Submarine, Warships to Guard against China’s Presence in Indian Ocean

A view of the Indian Navy's three frontline vessels during the commissioning ceremony in Mumbai, India, 15 January 2025. (EPA)
A view of the Indian Navy's three frontline vessels during the commissioning ceremony in Mumbai, India, 15 January 2025. (EPA)

India's navy on Wednesday simultaneously launched a submarine, a destroyer and a frigate built at a state-run shipyard, underscoring the importance of protecting the Indian Ocean region through which 95% of the country's trade moves amid a strong Chinese presence.

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said that the Atlantic Ocean’s importance has shifted to the Indian Ocean region, which is becoming a center of international power rivalry.

“India is giving the biggest importance to making its navy powerful to protect its interests,” he said.

“The commissioning of three major naval combatants marks a significant leap forward in realizing India’s vision of becoming a global leader in defense manufacturing and maritime security,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said while commissioning the vessels at the state-run Mazagon dockyard in Mumbai.

The situation in the Indian Ocean region is challenging with the Chinese navy, India’s main rival, growing exponentially, said Rahul Bedi, a defense analyst.

Bedi said that the INS Vagsheer submarine, the sixth among a French license-built Kalvari (Scorpene)-class conventional diesel-electric submarines, is aimed at replacing aging Indian underwater platforms and plugging serious capability gaps in existing ones. India now has a total of 16 submarines.

The P75 Scorpene submarine project represents India’s growing expertise in submarine construction in collaboration with the Naval Group of France, Bedi said.

India’s defense ministry is expected to conclude a deal for three additional Scorpene submarines to be built in India during Modi’s likely visit to Paris next month to attend the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.

However, the first of these boats, according to the Indian navy, is only likely to be commissioned by 2031.

India commissioned its first home-built aircraft carrier in 2022 to counter regional rival China’s much more extensive and growing fleet and expand its indigenous shipbuilding capabilities.

The INS Vikrant, whose name is a Sanskrit word for “powerful” or “courageous,” is India’s second operational aircraft carrier. It joins the Soviet-era INS Vikramaditya, which India purchased from Russia in 2004 to defend the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal.