US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday issued a statement in which he criticized National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s visit to the Temple Mount for Tisha B’Av prayers.
Blinken said in his statement that the United States “strongly opposes” the visit, which he claimed “demonstrated blatant disregard for the historic status quo with respect to the holy sites in Jerusalem.”
“These provocative actions only exacerbate tensions at a pivotal moment when all focus should be on the ongoing diplomatic efforts to achieve a ceasefire agreement and secure the release of all hostages and create the conditions for broader regional stability,” wrote Blinken.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Office has made clear that the actions of Minister Ben Gvir are inconsistent with Israeli policy. We will look to the Government of Israel to prevent similar incidents in the future,” he added.
“The United States reaffirms our commitment to the preservation of the historic status quo and will continue to oppose unilateral steps that are counterproductive to achieving peace and stability and undermine Israel’s security,” concluded Blinken.
Ben Gvir’s visits to the Temple Mount have been condemned by the international community in the past. His visit to the compound last year on Tisha B’Av was widely criticized by Arab countries.
Following last year’s visit, the US Embassy in Israel's spokesperson said, "The US stands firmly for the preservation of the historic status quo with respect to the holy sites in Jerusalem. Any unilateral action or rhetoric that jeopardizes the status quo is unacceptable."
The US also condemned a visit by Ben Gvir to the Temple Mount in May of last year.