Israeli minister sparks anger by praying at Jerusalem holy site
Global News Podcast
BBC
4.2 • 7.8K Ratings
🗓️ 4 August 2025
⏱️ 29 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has visited the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem and prayed there, violating a decades-old arrangement covering one of the most sensitive sites in the Middle East. Also: as Pope Leo addresses a million young Catholics, we meet the influencers who spread the word online, and platypus diplomacy in the Second World War.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | You're listening to the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service. |
| 0:05.5 | Hello, I'm Oliver Conway. This edition is published in the early hours of Monday the 4th of August. |
| 0:11.1 | A controversial visit by far-right Israeli Minister Itimar Ben-Gavir to the Al-Axa compound in Jerusalem |
| 0:16.8 | is condemned by Arab nations. Dozens of African migrants have drowned after their boat sank off the coast of Yemen. |
| 0:24.5 | And the trial of the deposed Bangladeshi Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, has begun, but she's not there. |
| 0:32.5 | Also in the podcast, as Pope Leo addresses a million or so young Catholics in Rome, we meet the influencers |
| 0:39.4 | who are spreading the word online. Hi guys, I'm Father Manuel. I'm a Franciscan Catholic priest. |
| 0:46.9 | Recently I wrote a song on It's a rap song, and it was really a banger. |
| 0:57.0 | The Alaksa Monk. It was really a bangor. The Alaska Mosque and Temple Mount compound in Jerusalem |
| 1:01.0 | is an extremely sensitive site, holy to both Jews and Muslims. |
| 1:06.5 | Under a decades-old convention, Jewish worshippers can visit, |
| 1:09.9 | but they're not allowed to pray there. |
| 1:11.9 | On Sunday morning, Israel's far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Givir, broke that |
| 1:17.2 | agreement by traveling to the compound and reciting Jewish prayers, along with at least 1,000 |
| 1:22.1 | others. While he was there, he spoke about the recent Hamas videos of starving Israeli hostages in Gaza. |
| 1:32.8 | These horror videos are an attempt to put pressure on the state of Israel, he said. |
| 1:40.0 | From here at the Temple Mount, we should send a message and make sure we conquer the whole of the Gaza Strip and encourage voluntary emigration. |
| 1:49.0 | The visit's been called provocative by the Palestinians and condemned by Arab nations. |
| 1:54.3 | I heard more about the controversy from our correspondent in Jerusalem, Hugo Boshiga. |
| 1:58.6 | It's not the first time that Itama Bingavir visits the Alaksa compound in the old city of Jerusalem, |
| 2:04.4 | but today it was the first time that he was seeing leading prayers at the site. |
| 2:09.7 | This is a violation of a long-time arrangement that allows Jews to visit the site. |
... |
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