Israeli jew in Masjid-i-Nabawi sparks outcry
Ben Tzion left Saudi Arabia few days ago and has not disclosed his location.
(Web Desk) – A 31-year-old Russian descent jew traveler got his Instagram handle suspended on Wednesday after he posted a picture that showed him standing inside Masjid-i-Nabawi given that non-Muslims are barred to enter Muslim holy places in Saudi Arabia.
Ben Tzion had earlier posed for pictures in mosques in Lebanon, Iran and Jordan and posted those on his social media handles since he describes himself as someone who travels for a hobby.
However, entry of a jew inside Masjid-i-Nabawi sparked an outcry from Muslim users, so much so that the man belonging to dissenting faith got his handle suspended.
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reported that Saudi users tweeting with hashtag “A Zionist at the Prophet s Mosque” have had some 90,000 tweets on Twitter within a period of 24 hours.
Some claimed that they were edited pictures and Ben Tzion did not visit the mosque
In an interview with Times of Israel, Tzion has asserted that his visits are to show respect to different faiths and diverse cultures. He said that he visited the holy places as a friend and has respect for Islam.
The controversial traveler further said that his interactions with locals in Beirut, Riyadh, Tehran and Qom were pleasant and they had embraced him with his nationality and identity.
According to the Times of Israel, Tzion departed from Saudi Arabia few days ago and has not disclosed his current location for obvious threats.
The article originally appeared here
