Israel’s foreign minister Yair Lapid has accused the terrorist group Hamas of having orchestrated recent unrest at Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy site following days of clashes between Israeli police and Palestinians.
The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem, also known as al-Haram al-Sharif, is regarded as the third-holiest site in Islam and an emotional symbol for the Palestinians.
However, given that it sits on a sprawling esplanade that Jews refer to as the Temple Mount—the holiest site in Judaism—the area has long been contested by both Israelis and Palestinians, leading to numerous clashes between the two.
Tensions over the area have been further heightened this month in part due to the Muslim month-long Ramadan festival which coincides with the Jewish celebration of Passover, both of which see an influx in Muslim and Jewish visitors to the compound.
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