The US called on Israel to allow worshippers to go to the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem for Ramadan, as Hamas calls for Palestinians in Jerusalem and the West Bank to march on the mosque on the first day of the holy month.
Far-right Israeli cabinet minister Itamar Ben Gvir has proposed increased restrictions to the holy site for Palestinians during Ramadan. Such restrictions, if instituted, threaten to ignite already increased tensions.
About the site: The al-Aqsa compound is one of the most revered places in Islam and Judaism. The sacred grounds — known to Muslims as Al Haram Al Sharif (Noble Sanctuary) and to Jews as Temple Mount — have been a flashpoint of tensions between Israel and the Palestinians for decades.
“We continue to urge Israel to facilitate access to the Temple Mount for peaceful worshippers during Ramadan, consistent with past practice, and that will continue to be our position,” said State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller at a briefing on Wednesday.
Miller said allowing access to al-Aqsa is “a matter that directly is important to Israel's security," adding that “it is not in Israel's security interest to inflame tensions in the West Bank or in the broader region.”
CNN's Salam Abdelaziz and Abeer Salman contributed to this report.