The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has issued a formal and strongly worded condemnation of Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s early morning visit to the Temple Mount, referring to it as a “storming” of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and calling it a “blatant provocation.”
The statement, released by the Saudi Foreign Ministry, expressed “strong condemnation in the strongest terms” and accused Israel of violating the sanctity of Islamic holy sites. It follows similar denunciations by Jordan and Hamas, each portraying a Jewish visit to Judaism’s holiest site as an act of aggression.
Israel: Walking Peacefully Is Not a Crime
In reality, Ben Gvir’s visit was peaceful, lasted minutes, and involved no entry into any mosque. He walked through the Temple Mount courtyards—an area under full Israeli sovereignty and open to visitors of all faiths.
The Israeli government maintains that freedom of worship and access must apply to all faiths. Yet Jewish presence on the Mount is consistently portrayed in Arab media as a “provocation”—not because of what Jews do there, but because of who they are.
The Bigger Picture: Saudi Posturing or Islamist Pressure?
Saudi Arabia’s statement is part of a broader diplomatic balancing act. While quietly coordinating with Israel on security and technology, Riyadh remains under pressure from Islamist factions and regional audiences to condemn any perceived infringement at Al-Aqsa.
But for many Israelis, this dual posture is growing increasingly frustrating. Saudi Arabia cannot claim to support regional peace while echoing the rhetoric of Hamas and Jordan’s Islamic Waqf, who deny Jewish ties to the Mount and routinely incite violence.
“Ben Gvir didn’t storm anything. He walked on Jewish land in the Jewish capital,” said one Israeli commentator. “If Saudi Arabia wants to be taken seriously as a peace partner, it must stop treating Jewish presence as a provocation.”
The Temple Mount—site of both the First and Second Jewish Temples—has been the spiritual center of Jewish life for millennia. While the Al-Aqsa Mosque was built centuries later, its presence does not nullify Jewish history. And yet, every time an Israeli official sets foot on the Mount, it’s labeled a “storming”—a word chosen to incite, not to inform.
This language distorts reality and fuels tensions. It also plays directly into Hamas’ hands, helping extremists justify terror as “defense of Al-Aqsa.”
If Saudi Arabia wants to be a stabilizing force in the region, it must rise above tired narratives that deny Jewish rights. The Temple Mount is not a battleground—it’s a sacred space shared by history. And recognizing Israel’s sovereignty in Jerusalem is not a provocation. It’s a fact.
