Israeli Foreign Minister's Al-Aqsa visit provokes outrage

There are concerns over mounting tensions in the Middle East, after a far-right Israeli minister visited one of the most contested religious sites in the world. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, which drew swift condemnation from Palestinians and neighbouring Arab states.

Israeli police secure the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as the Temple Mount, in the Old City of Jerusalem, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. Itamar Ben-Gvir, an ultranationalist Israeli Cabinet minister, visited the flashpoint Jerusalem holy site Tuesday for the first time since taking office in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new far-right government last week. The visit is seen by Palestinians as a provocation. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo) Source: AP / Maya Alleruzzo/AP