An act “unacceptable”. Washington has sharply criticized the prayer of Israeli Interior Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, a regular provocateur, on the Esplanade of the Mosques in East Jerusalem accompanied by some 3,000 Jewish worshipers on Tuesday, August 13. The head of American diplomacy Antony Blinken urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday to prevent future “acts of provocation”. “We expect the government of Israel to prevent such incidents in the future”the US Secretary of State said in a statement, castigating “the flagrant contempt” manifested by the minister. Follow our live broadcast.
A provocation that “doesn’t help.” Under a status quo decreed after Israel’s conquest of East Jerusalem in 1967, non-Muslims can visit the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex, which houses the Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque, at specified times, without praying there. The spokesman for UN Secretary-General Farhan Haq said: “against any attempt to change the status quo related to holy places”. “This type of behavior does not help and is an unnecessary provocation.”he added.
Tehran rejects Western calls to abandon threats against Israel. International pressure is also increasing to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, where the war, triggered on October 7 by a Hamas attack on Israel, has left nearly 40,000 dead according to the Palestinian Islamist movement. The White House estimated Monday that a possible Iranian attack could have “an impact on discussions” which are due to resume on Thursday in preparation for a truce in Gaza.
Washington approves arms sale to Israel. The United States has approved the sale of more than $20 billion in arms to its Israeli ally, including F-15 fighter jets and nearly 33,000 rounds of tank ammunition. The State Department said in a notification to Congress that the sale would “improve Israel’s ability to confront current and future enemy threats”.