イスラム教第３の聖地にシナゴーグを　イスラエル閣僚がまたも物議

【エルサレムＡＦＰ＝時事】イスラエルの極右、イタマル・ベングビール国家治安相が２６日、中東エルサレムのアルアクサ・モスクの敷地内にシナゴーグ（ユダヤ教の会堂）を建立したいと発言し、新たな怒りを買っている。（写真は、中東エルサレムにあるアルアクサ・モスクの敷地内で話をするイスラエルのイタマル・ベングビール国家治安相〈手前〉。ＡＦＰＴＶの動画より）
　アルアクサ・モスクのある同地はイスラム教第３の聖地で、パレスチナ人にとって民族的アイデンティティーの象徴。一方、ユダヤ教においても「神殿の丘」と呼ばれる聖地で、紀元７０年にローマ人に破壊された古代神殿の跡地として崇拝されている。敷地内での礼拝が認められているのはイスラム教徒のみで、非イスラム教徒は、特定の時間帯以外の訪問や宗教的なシンボルを掲げることは認められていない。
　ベングビール氏はイスラエルの放送局アーミー・ラジオに対し、「望みが何でもかなうなら、あの場所にイスラエル国旗を立てたい」と発言。
　「自身に権限があればシナゴーグを建立するか」と重ねて問われると、「イエス」と答えた。
　ベングビール氏は２０２２年１２月の就任以降、同地を少なくとも６回は訪れ、厳しい非難を浴びている。
　今回の発言をめぐっては複数のイスラエル当局者からも批判の声が上がっており、ベンヤミン・ネタニヤフ首相も首相府を通じて、同地でのユダヤ教徒の礼拝を禁じる現在の政策に「変更はない」と表明した。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2024/08/27-17:03）

A far-right Israeli minister sparked fresh outrage on Monday by saying he would build a synagogue at Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound if he could, once again challenging government policy.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who has repeatedly ignored the government's long-standing ban on Jews praying at the site, told Army Radio that if it were possible, he would build a synagogue at the Al-Aqsa compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount.
The Al-Aqsa compound is Islam's third holiest site and a symbol of Palestinian national identity, but it is also Judaism's holiest place, revered as the site of the second temple destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.
If I could do anything I wanted, I would put an Israeli flag on the site, Ben Gvir said in the interview.
Asked several times by the journalist if he would build a synagogue at the site if it were up to him, Ben Gvir finally replied: Yes.
Under the status quo maintained by Israeli authorities, Jews and other non-Muslims are allowed to visit the compound in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem during specified hours, but they are not permitted to pray there or display religious symbols.
In recent years, the restrictions at the compound have been increasingly flouted by hardline religious nationalists like Ben Gvir, prompting sometimes violent reactions from Palestinians.
Since taking office as national security minister in December 2022, Ben Gvir has visited the disputed holy site at least six times, drawing severe condemnations.
The Al-Aqsa mosque compound is administered by Jordan, but access to the site itself is controlled by Israeli security forces.
Ben Gvir told Army Radio that Jews should be allowed to pray in the compound.
Arabs can pray wherever they want, so Jews should be able to pray wherever they want, he said, claiming that the current policy allows Jews to pray at this site.
- 'Dangerous' -
Jordan hit back at Ben Gvir's latest remarks.
Al-Aqsa and the holy sites are a pure place of worship for Muslims, Jordanian foreign ministry spokesman Sufian Qudah said in a statement.
Jordan will take all necessary measures to stop the attacks on the holy sites and is preparing the necessary legal files to take action in international courts against the attacks on the holy sites, Qudah said.
Saudi Arabia and Qatar also condemned the Israeli minister's comments.
The Kingdom stresses the need to respect the historical and legal status of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, Riyadh's foreign ministry said in a statement posted to social media, calling Ben Gvir's remarks extremist and inflammatory.
Qatar's foreign ministry likewise denounced the call to build a synagogue at the Al-Aqsa compound as a provocation to the feelings of Muslims around the world and warned it could undermine efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza.
Several Israeli officials also condemned Ben Gvir, while a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said there is no change to the current policy.
Challenging the status quo on the Temple Mount is a dangerous, unnecessary, and irresponsible act, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said on social media platform X.
Ben Gvir's actions endanger the national security of the State of Israel.
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid said on X that Ben Gvir's repeated comments show that Netanyahu lost control of his government.
Palestinian presidency spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh warned that Al-Aqsa and the holy sites are a red line that we will not allow to be touched at all.
Hamas, with whom Israel is locked in a bitter war in the Gaza Strip, said the minister's comments were dangerous and called on Arab and Islamic countries to take responsibility for protecting the holy sites.
Earlier this month, Ben Gvir announced he had prayed at the compound, drawing widespread condemnation, including from several influential Israeli rabbis.
During a recent visit to the site, Ben Gvir filmed a video statement in which he reiterated his opposition to any ceasefire in the Gaza war.