JERUSALEM

Far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir on Wednesday gave his permission for illegal Jewish settlers to pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem.

Speaking at the Knesset (Israel's parliament), Ben-Gvir claimed that he represents the political leadership and he allows Jews to perform prayers inside the flashpoint site.

"I am the political echelon, and the political echelon permits prayer at the Temple Mount (Al-Aqsa Mosque)," Ben-Gvir said.

The extremist minister, known for his anti-Palestinian rhetoric, claimed that he prayed at the site last week.

"I prayed on the Temple Mount, and we pray on the Temple Mount," he added.

According to the Israeli public broadcaster KAN, Ben-Gvir’s statement represents an embarrassment to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is currently visiting Washington.

Last month, Netanyahu claimed that the status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque "has not changed and will not change," after Ben-Gvir urged Jews to pray "publicly" at the complex.

The status quo allows Muslims to worship at the Al-Aqsa complex and followers of other religions to visit the site.

For Muslims, Al-Aqsa represents Islam’s third-holiest site. Jews call the area the Temple Mount, saying it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. It annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move never recognized by the international community.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar