Israel PM bars extremist lawmaker from entering Muslim areas of Jerusalem's Old City and holding rally
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Wednesday barred extremist lawmaker Itamar Ben-Gvir from entering Muslim areas of Jerusalem's Old City and holding a rally, in a bid to stem further violence.
Tensions in Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem have spiked in recent weeks, amid days of Israeli attacks on the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which have injured scores of Palestinians during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
The ban is seen as an attempt to calm tensions intended to prevent further violence in the Old City.
Ben-Gvir had announced he would take part in a rally on Wednesday evening, saying he would march through the Damascus Gate, the main entrance to the Muslim quarter of Jerusalem's Old City.
Bennett accepted the recommendation of security chiefs to prevent Ben-Gvir from entering the Damascus Gate.
"I have no intention of allowing petty politics to endanger human lives," Bennett said in a statement. "I will not allow a political provocation by Ben-Gvir to endanger IDF [Israeli army] soldiers and Israeli police officers."
Ben-Gvir (pictured) is an extremist Israeli lawmaker [MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP/Getty-archive]