Jordan condemns Israeli far-right minister's Al Aqsa prayers

Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir led hundreds of Israelis into Al Aqsa Mosque compound in annexed east Jerusalem on Tuesday and performed prayers marking a Jewish holiday, sources said.

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 compound is Islam's third holiest site and a symbol of Palestinian national identity.

While Jews and other non-Muslims are allowed to visit the mosque compound in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem during specified hours, they are not permitted to pray or display religious symbols.

In recent years, the restrictions have been increasingly flouted by hardline religious nationalists like Ben Gvir, prompting sometimes violent reactions from Palestinians.

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

"Minister Ben Gvir, instead of maintaining the status quo at the mosque is supervising the Judaisation operation and trying to change the situation inside Al Aqsa Mosque," the official said.

Israeli police also "imposed restrictions" on Muslim worshippers trying to enter the mosque, he said.

Last month too, Ben Gvir, who is known for provocative gestures, said he had prayed inside Al Aqsa Mosque compound, defying the longstanding rules that permit Jewish visits but forbid prayer.