Israeli far-right politician Itamar Ben-Gvir . AFP
The extremist politician was visiting the site in occupied east Jerusalem after returning to the Israeli government last month following the resumption of the Israeli genocidal war on Gaza.
Ben Gvir had quit the cabinet in January in protest at the ceasefire agreement in the occupied Palestinian territory.
Since the formation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government at the end of 2022, Ben Gvir has made several intrusion un the Al-Aqsa compound, each time triggering international outcry.
In a statement, the Jordanian Foreign Ministry condemned Wednesday's visit as an unacceptable provocation".
The Saudi foreign ministry also expressed in a statement its "strongest condemnation" of the Mosque compound's storming by Ben Gvir.
Hamas called it a "provocative and dangerous escalation", saying the visit was "part of the ongoing genocide against our Palestinian people".
"We call on our Palestinian people and our youth in the West Bank to escalate their confrontation... in defence of our land and our sanctities, foremost among them the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque," it said in a statement.
The site is Islam's third-holiest and a symbol of Palestinian national identity.
Under the status quo maintained by Israel, which has occupied east Jerusalem and its Old City since 1967, Jews and other non-Muslims are allowed to visit the compound during specified hours, but they are not permitted to pray there or display religious symbols.
In recent years, growing numbers of Jewish ultranationalists have defied the rules, including Ben Gvir, who publicly prayed there in 2023 and 2024.
The Israeli government has repeatedly said that it intends to uphold the status quo at the compound, but Palestinian fears about its future have made it a flashpoint for violence.
* This story was edited by Ahram Online.
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