JERUSALEM (VINnews) – Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the Temple Mount on Thursday and raised the Israeli flag there ahead of the annual Jerusalem Day flag march.

Ben-Gvir, a coalition partner in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, declared that Israel has restored its governance over the sensitive holy site through “determination and deterrence.”

“We restored governance on the Temple Mount thanks to determination and deterrence,” Ben-Gvir said. “This year Ramadan was the quietest, thanks to deterrence. The Temple Mount is in our hands!”

The visit comes as Israelis prepare for Jerusalem Day celebrations marking the reunification of the city during the 1967 Six Day War. The flag march traditionally winds through the Old City, including areas near the Temple Mount, known to Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif and home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The Temple Mount is the holiest site in Judaism and the third-holiest in Islam. Israeli policy has long restricted Jewish prayer there to avoid inflaming tensions, though visits by Jewish officials have increased in recent years.

Ben-Gvir’s appearance and flag-raising drew praise from his political base but are likely to spark criticism from Arab leaders and Jordan, which serves as the custodian of the site’s Muslim holy places.

No immediate reports of violence or disturbances were available following the visit.