Politician offers controversial prayer at the hallowed grounds of Al-Aqsa Mosque, inciting heated responses
Headline: Controversial Temple Mount Visit Threatens Gaza Ceasefire and Regional Peace
In a move that has been widely condemned internationally, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir led a group of 1,250 Jews in prayer at the Temple Mount, a site holy to both Jews and Muslims. This visit, which broke a decades-old agreement that forbids Jewish prayer at the site, has exacerbated religious and political tensions and threatened prospects for a Gaza ceasefire deal [1][2][3].
The Temple Mount, known to Muslims as the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, is a sensitive site administered by Israel and Jordan. Ben-Gvir's visit and prayers violated the "status quo" arrangement, sparking anger from Jordan as custodian of the site, drawing condemnation from multiple countries including France, and causing broad outrage in Israel and the Muslim world [1][2][3][5].
The visit is seen as undermining diplomatic efforts and intensifying regional tensions at a particularly sensitive moment. It conflicts with ongoing peace and ceasefire negotiations linked to Gaza. The challenge to the status quo is seen as reducing trust and complicating conditions necessary for ceasefire discussions, as Muslim and Arab parties view it as a deliberate provocation that could inflame violence and reduce willingness for calm or agreement [3][5].
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu relies on Ben-Gvir's party to maintain his slim parliamentary majority. However, the minister's actions have put Israel in a precarious position, risking a further escalation of tensions and potentially derailing diplomatic efforts to achieve a lasting peace in the region [1][2][3].
Elsewhere in the World:
- US President Donald Trump announced new tariff rates for a host of US trading partners, causing stock markets around the world to fall [6].
- The US imposed fresh sanctions on people and organizations linked to Iran, intensifying its pressure on Tehran [7].
- The US Senate voted to block weapons sales to Israel, signalling a break in the bipartisan consensus in Washington backing its ally [8].
- China is pivoting away from consumer subsidy efforts and toward combating deflation and price wars [9].
- Two human trials of mRNA technology raised hopes of an effective HIV vaccine [10].
- Figma shares more than tripled in the company's New York trading debut, suggesting a turnaround in the tech IPO landscape [11].
- The number of obese people worldwide surpassed the number of underweight people since 2016 [12].
- Russia's President Medvedev considered new US sanctions on Russia as a "step towards war" [4].
- Beijing has stopped approving requests by Chinese companies to invest or expand in the US [5].
- Russian internet service providers are being used by attackers to plant malware on diplomats' computers, allowing them to see passwords and bank details and to change what users see [13].
- El Salvador's legislature approved constitutional amendments removing term limits, potentially allowing its President Nayib Bukele to rule for life [14].
- The rift between the US and Brazil is deepening, as Brasília's leader pushed back against President Trump's sky-high tariffs [15].
- Two top American officials are set to visit Gazan food distribution sites, spotlighting growing warnings of mass starvation in the enclave [16].
- The number of people going hungry worldwide fell by 15 million between 2023 and 2024 [17].
- Chinese authorities summoned Nvidia over alleged security vulnerabilities in the semiconductor giant's artificial-intelligence chips, threatening both the firm's business in China and a fragile Beijing-Washington detente [18].
- Southern Asia and Latin America saw particular gains in reducing food shortages [19].
- Kremlin-backed hackers are targeting foreign embassies in Moscow, Microsoft warned [20].
- The US is facing fresh pressure from the international community over its war in Gaza [21].
- The Trump administration has also imposed new sanctions and visa blocks on Palestinian officials in response to international moves toward recognition of a Palestinian state [22].
- The world's "oldest baby" was born using a 30-year-old frozen embryo [23].
- The Israeli government reiterated its support for the status quo over the Temple Mount [24].
- The US' Middle East envoy is set to travel to Gaza on Friday as pressure grows on the White House to address suffering in the enclave [25].
- US President Donald Trump ordered the positioning of two nuclear submarines "in the appropriate regions" [26].
- Trump accused Medvedev of "throwing around the 'N word (Nuclear!)" in July [27].
- Trump threatened India with 25% tariffs starting Friday, straining relations with a defiant New Delhi [28].
The Temple Mount visit by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has led to general-news headlines around the world, as it has been condemned internationally, violated the status quo, and intensified regional tensions, threatening the prospects of a Gaza ceasefire deal. The political implications of this visit are further complicated by the fact that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu relies on Ben-Gvir's party to maintain his parliamentary majority.
