1Berita News – Israeli Minister of Cultural Heritage, Amichai Eliyahu, has called for the elimination of the holy month of Ramadan.
“What is called the month of Ramadan should be eliminated, and our fear of this month should also be eliminated,” Eliyahu told Army Radio, as quoted by Anadolu Agency on Friday (1/3).
Eliyahu made the statement amidst tensions between Palestinians and Israel that have escalated in the West Bank and Jerusalem recently.
Such tensions often erupt, especially leading up to and during the month of Ramadan, triggered by Israeli government regulations and actions by some residents of the Zionist State.
Eliyahu is a minister from the Otzma Yehudit party led by Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir.
Eliyahu has stirred controversy on several occasions with his statements, one of which was expressing a desire to drop a nuclear bomb on the Gaza Strip as “one option” amid tensions there.
Recently, Israel has been apprehensive about the possibility of clashes in the West Bank and Jerusalem following aggression in the Gaza Strip that has resulted in the deaths of more than 30,400 people.
Israel is concerned about potential clashes, especially during Ramadan, particularly after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu restricted Muslim visits to the Al-Aqsa Mosque for security reasons.
The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound has often been a flashpoint of tension between Israelis and Palestinians for years.
In 2000, Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon sparked bloody riots at the compound by visiting there.
Riots also occurred in 2023 and 2022. Police forces and Palestinian residents clashed after Jewish individuals planned to slaughter goats and perform rituals at the holy site, which is prohibited under Israeli law.
Under the status quo rules, only Muslims are allowed to worship there. Non-Muslims can visit Al-Aqsa but only as tourists.
However, Jewish individuals often pray there despite these rules. According to Jewish law, entering any part of the Al-Aqsa compound, also known as the Temple Mount, is not allowed because of the sacred nature of the site.
