Itamar Ben-Gvir entered a neighborhood in Jaffa under heavy police protection on Wednesday, where he reportedly made inflammatory remarks toward Palestinian residents, saying: “I am the owner of this land, not you.”
Israeli media circulated images showing the far-right Israeli minister touring the area while accompanied by a large security presence from Israeli police forces deployed throughout the city.
The incident has added to rising tensions between Israeli authorities and Palestinians, particularly amid ongoing disputes over Jerusalem and holy sites.
In a separate development, groups linked to the so-called “Temple organizations,” alongside several Israeli political figures, including Likud Knesset member Amit Halevi, launched calls for large-scale incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque on Friday, May 15, 2026.
The calls coincide with what Israel marks as “Jerusalem Day,” an annual event in the Hebrew calendar that often sees heightened tensions in occupied East Jerusalem.
The day traditionally includes morning visits by Israeli settlers to the Al-Aqsa compound, as well as evening marches through the Old City, including the controversial “Flag March,” which has repeatedly been accompanied by clashes and attacks against Palestinian residents.
Palestinian groups and regional observers have frequently warned that such actions risk escalating tensions further in Jerusalem, particularly around religious sites considered highly sensitive across the region.
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