Israeli minister says Itamar Ben-Gavir will set the Mideast on fire

ALBAWABA - Israeli and Palestinian politicians are deeply worried about the coming Jewish government Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking to form as one that would be extreme rightwing and even more trigger-happy than the outgoing one in the Knesset.

The latest alarm is coming from outgoing Israeli Public Security Minister Omer Barlev. He warned on Wednesday that the appointment of the extremist Itamar Ben-Gvir as the next security minister in the coming Israeli cabinet as one set to spark wide-scale confrontations with the Palestinians in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank according to Anadolu.

Barlev said if Ben-Gvir of the far-right Jewish Strength was appointed as security minister and proceeds with his plans to change the present status quo at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem, he "will throw the Middle East into fire" pointed out the Turkish news agency. 

The coming Israeli government may try to change the status Al Aqsa mosque and would certainly create another Intifada if that happens because judging from past years the Palestinians will not sit idly by and watch.

Anadolu points out the Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third-holiest site for Muslims and under Jerusalem's internationally recognized status quo, Jews are allowed to visit the compound but not pray. However, Israeli settlers frequently raid the compound protected by Jewish settlers and perform their rituals.

Ben-Gvir has long been seen as an extremist. Just recently he called the Israeli soldier who shot dead a Palestinian youth at a point-blank range in Howara, West Bank at a point-blank a “hero”.