Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family, his companions, and those who follow him.

The Al-Aqsa Mosque holds a significant place for Muslims. It is the first Qibla (direction of prayer), the third of the two Holy Mosques, and the second mosque built in Islam after the Sacred Mosque in Mecca. It is the destination of the Night Journey of our noble Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the starting point of his Ascension to the heavens. It is religiously recommended to travel to it under normal circumstances, as narrated in Abu Huraira’s Sahih hadith (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Do not set out on a journey except for three Mosques i.e. Al-Masjid-AI-Haram, the Mosque of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) , and the Mosque of Al-Aqsa, (Mosque of Jerusalem).” (Sahih Al-Bukhari (1189), and Sahih Muslim (1397))

For decades, the Al-Aqsa Mosque has been under Zionist occupation, subjected to Judaization, and both temporal and spatial division. It faces extensive desecration campaigns, especially during the blessed month of Ramadan. This situation gives a specific legal ruling to traveling to it that aligns with these new circumstances.

Every year during Ramadan, Zionist gangs, led by rabbis, engage in their particular Torah rituals to rally their followers behind them as their religious authority. They carry out various forms of aggression against Muslims in the courtyards and squares of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque. The guardians of the mosque face humiliation and assaults that no Muslim would accept for their fellow Muslim, especially against the women. In previous Ramadans, these attacks have escalated year after year, leading up to the “Al-Aqsa Flood” battle. In the current Ramadan of 1445 AH, the Zionists have declared that they will close the doors of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Therefore, traveling to Al-Aqsa Mosque is a religious duty upon every Muslim capable of going there, whether from outside or inside Palestine, with an even greater obligation for those within Palestine. This is to confront and prevent these aggressions. It is one of the duties of Muslims to protect their holy sites, defend them, and avert any harm from them, whether current or potential, immediate or future. This includes the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, and this religious obligation applies to institutions, governments, and individuals alike.

The religious duty to support Muslims in Al-Quds and the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque is backed by numerous texts from the Quran and Sunnah. When considering the special status of the place due to its sanctities, the religious ruling of obligation becomes clear, emphasized, and imperative. Thus, traveling to the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque to protect it from aggressions and prevent its desecration, especially today, is one of the most obligatory duties for the people of Al-Quds Al-Sharif and those closest to them, in that order. And Allah knows best.

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The arms of the occupation do not cease their attempts to Judaize all of occupied Jerusalem in general, and the vicinity of Al-Aqsa Mosque in particular, in a bid to change the Arab and Islamic identity of the city, and to target the centrality of Al-Aqsa Mosque. This targeting is connected to facilitating the entry of intruders into the mosque and distorting the established civilizational image of the mosque and its status and location.

 Judaization Projects to Encircle Al-Aqsa

Alongside the ongoing genocide that the occupying forces are waging in the Gaza Strip, their other arms have been working to implement more Judaization projects targeting Al-Aqsa Mosque and its surroundings, especially the Judaization project of the "cable car" (the light aerial tram). While the occupying forces impose a practical siege on the mosque, they have sought to establish a technological siege by installing listening devices and surveillance cameras, and reinforcing the existing ones, to monitor the movements of worshippers and what they do inside the mosque, culminating in the construction of new Judaization centers, added to the many other projects carried out by the arms of the occupation in recent years.

In this article, we highlight a number of new Judaization projects that the occupying authorities are seeking to complete amid the ongoing aggression of the occupation on Gaza and Lebanon.

 Reducing the Number of Worshippers at Al-Aqsa

Since the beginning of their aggression on the Gaza Strip, the occupation has simultaneously worked to reduce the number of worshippers at Al-Aqsa and has attempted to isolate the mosque. It has taken a series of steps forcibly imposed, which led to a decline in the number of worshippers in the months following the beginning of the aggression, including the installation of iron cages at the entrances of Al-Aqsa.

On March 14, 2024, the occupation police installed barriers and iron cages at three of the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque: the Iron Gate, the Al-Ghawana Gate, and the King Faisal Gate. The Al-Quds International Institution stated that this step aims to establish permanent checkpoints for the Zionist police at the gates of Al-Aqsa, converting these checkpoints and the accompanying inspection and oppression measures into fixed procedures.

 Enforcing Surveillance on Al-Aqsa and Its Surroundings

One of the most prominent new projects related to enforcing surveillance on Al-Aqsa and its surroundings is the installation of new listening devices by the occupation authorities. On February 25, 2024, the occupation police erected a tall communications tower enhanced with surveillance cameras and equipped with sensors, which was set up above the western portico of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The occupation authorities preceded this with construction work carried out above the Tunkaziyah School in the western portico of Al-Aqsa, which is controlled by the occupation. According to Hebrew data, this network of communications, cameras, and sensors can monitor the movements of worshippers and track the entries to Al-Aqsa with high accuracy.

 Tightening Security Control

The extent of this security grip on Jerusalem, and the role of these cameras and sensors, was underscored by reports published in Hebrew sources on November 3, 2024. The occupation police organized a competition among its various units in occupied Jerusalem to select the best unit using 360-degree imaging technology, with the prize going to the “Temple Mount Unit,” valued at 10,000 shekels. This competition indicates the volume of technologies that the occupation police generally and this unit in particular use to monitor Palestinians and impose a siege on Al-Aqsa Mosque, particularly since the occupation police have intensified the deployment of modern cameras around Al-Aqsa and at its gates.

In the latest developments over the past months regarding the role of the occupation police and their deployment around Al-Aqsa, on October 30, 2024, the occupation police announced that they would build a new center near the Iron Gate, one of the gates of Al-Aqsa. The building will consist of three floors, to be established in place of a warehouse seized by the occupation in 1991, within the Islamic Quarter. This confirms the attempts by the occupation police to increase their forces and reinforce their presence inside areas populated by Palestinians in the eastern part of occupied Jerusalem.

Building New Judaization Centers Near "Al-Aqsa"

In addition to security-related projects, Judaization projects form a fundamental part of any initiatives undertaken by the occupying authorities. In late January 2024, sources from Jerusalem revealed that the occupation has begun work on establishing a Judaization center west of "Al-Aqsa." It was noted that the Israeli businessman Laurent Levi laid the foundation stone for the "Third Temple" study center, which is scheduled for inauguration in four years. The mission of this center will be to train settlers and provide materials centered around the construction of the "Temple," including its technical, architectural, and engineering plans.

 Reviving the So-Called "Jewish Heritage"

Alongside this new center, the Ministry of Heritage, in cooperation with various ministries and settlement organizations, has launched a massive Judaization project surrounding "Al-Aqsa" under the title "Reviving Jewish Heritage." This project includes changing the doors of the Old City, especially those near the mosque, erasing historical sites and landmarks, judaizing the Jerusalem citadel at the Hebron Gate, judaizing the area around the Hebron Gate, judaizing some Ottoman schools, raising Israeli flags, and other Judaization projects concentrated in the area the occupation calls the "Holy Basin," located in the heart of Jerusalem and surrounding the mosque.

 Occupation Continues Judaization of the Buraq Square

In recent months, the occupation has continued to target the Buraq Square and the western wall of "Al-Aqsa." It has continued the excavations south of the Mughrabi Bridge with the aim of creating a space for Jewish women and "Reform" Jews to perform their prayers and rituals.

"Beit Heliba" Project

On the western side of Buraq Square, the occupation has begun deep and new excavations as part of the "Beit Heliba" project, which will consist of at least three levels. It is expected that the occupation will connect the "Beit Heliba" medical project with the "Beit Strauss" project located just a few meters from the Buraq Wall.

However, the occupying authorities are not stopping there; they are working on implementing more projects in the occupied Buraq Wall area. Last September, Palestinian sources revealed that the occupation authorities had begun work on an elevator project 200 meters from the Buraq Wall, to be called the "Kotel Elevator," aimed at facilitating access for settlers with disabilities to the occupied Buraq Square and easing the incursions into "Al-Aqsa." The project costs 55 million shekels (approximately 15 million dollars), and it includes underground passageways, a street with commercial shops, and rooms, with the elevator reaching a depth of 26 meters, linking the "Jewish Quarter" to the occupied Buraq Square.

New Places to Promote the Myths of the Alleged "Temple"

The authorities of the occupation aim to promote their narratives through many of these projects. Palestinian sources reported that "Israeli" settlement organizations have set up tents at the northern entrance of the town of Silwan towards the Lion's Gate, just meters from the eastern wall of Al-Aqsa mosque near the Gate of Mercy. These organizations have placed wooden benches, furniture, artifacts inspired by ancient Arab heritage, as well as products and pottery adorned with Hebrew inscriptions and symbols mirroring previous historical civilizations, with the aim of promoting misleading biblical narratives.

As part of a long-term strategic plan, the occupation state exploited all tools, means, and mechanisms, allocating semi-open budgets for the Judaization of Jerusalem and the assault on the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, employing the three authorities: legislative, judicial, and executive, along with utilizing media propaganda as well. Judaization reached its peak in 2023, posing the greatest danger to Jerusalem and Islamic sanctities, with the Al-Aqsa Mosque at the forefront.

The Zionist plan also targeted the Jerusalemites for forced displacement, continuing the systematic massacre of demolishing homes and confiscating lands, along with mass arrests, arbitrary punishments, and extreme taxes. The ultimate goal was to determine the demography of the city of Jerusalem.

Judaization Measures and Tools in Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa:

The occupation consistently renews and modifies its methods of Judaization, which have been going on for decades. However, it remains committed to establishing dangerous and influential Judaization foundations, including:

Firstly, Jewish Holidays:

They are divided into two categories: holidays mentioned in the Torah, including the three pilgrimage festivals (Passover, Weeks, and Booths), the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), and holidays added after the return from Babylon, including “Purim” and the anniversary of the destruction of the “Temple.”

Jewish activities during these holidays include three main elements: joy, manifested in celebratory feasts; the addition of prayers and supplications to the “Amidah” prayer; and special ceremonial rituals.

It was evident to everyone that the Jewish holidays in September and October 2023 were among the longest holiday periods, ending on October 8, and were targeted by the “Al-Aqsa Flood” on October 7.

The holidays began on September 16 and lasted until October 8, 2023, coinciding with the Hebrew New Year. On September 26–27, 2023, Zionist intruders repeatedly blew the “Shofar” horn in an attempt to usurp authority and oversee the Al-Aqsa Mosque for the benefit of the occupying entity.

Secondly, Al-Aqsa Mosque raids by settlers and extremists:

In 2022, the number of intruders reached approximately 54,201, including 17,509 during 11 Jewish holidays, while the remaining, totaling 35,692 settlers, were across the rest of the year.

The incursions increased by 42% compared to 2021, which had 38,150 settlers, and there was a 106% increase from 2020, where 18,526 extremists raided Al-Aqsa, according to statistics from the Wadi Hilweh Information Center.

Thirdly, Torah Rituals:

Newly introduced Zionist worship rituals in Al-Aqsa Mosque are practiced by extremist Zionists during incursions, including:

• “Atonement” (Kaparot) rituals where they wave chickens over their heads to cleanse themselves of sins.
• Entering with offerings of vegetables as a prelude to animal sacrifices and the slaughter of the red heifer.
• Erecting a candelabra for the “Festival of Lights” in the Al-Buraq Square (the Wailing Wall).
• Infiltrating Al-Aqsa while dressed in “repentance attire” on the “Destruction of the Temple” anniversary.
• The “Epic Prostration” ritual is performed on all holidays.

Fourthly and Fifthly, Time and Place Division:

On January 1, 2023, a letter was submitted by a group of extremists to the extremist minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, outlining their demands:

• Increase the hours of incursions.
• Allow incursions from all gates.
• Increase the number of intruders per group.
• Permit incursions to stay for long periods without the presence of occupation police.
• Establish a religious school inside “Al-Aqsa.”
• Allocate an area of the mosque for Jews throughout the year as part of the spatial division.
• Change the rules of engagement for occupation police during Jewish prayers.
• Allow all religious objects into the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Sixthly, Spiritual Establishment of the Temple in 2023:

This is to be achieved through two paths:

• Transferring all Torah rituals practiced in various synagogues worldwide to the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, considering it the alleged “Temple.”
• Reviving the specialized Torah rituals and sacrificial worship of the Temple, as previously described.

Seventhly, Occupation Courts as Tools of Judaization:

Among their most significant methods are:

1. Granting legitimacy to Judaization activities and incursions. For example, the Magistrate's Court canceled an order to expel settlers from Al-Aqsa after they appealed to the judiciary following a police expulsion decision.
2. Imposing penalties on Jerusalemites, including fines, obstructing building permits, expulsion or arrest orders, and house arrest.
3. A dangerous precedent was set when the Israeli Ministry of Justice announced the start of registering ownership of lands close to the walls of Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Israeli “Tabu,” specifically in the area of the Umayyad Palaces, categorized as lands belonging to the Islamic Waqf. These lands are in a highly sensitive location.
4. Assaulting the Bab al-Rahma Islamic Cemetery, where extremists deliberately invaded it after the Magistrate's Court allowed the blowing of the horn within it. Upon this decision, dozens of extremists rushed to the cemetery, blew the horn, and presented plant sacrifices for the Sukkot Feast.
5. Issuing court orders to confiscate cemetery lands and prohibit burial within, the same violations that previously took place before paving the way for establishing a Torah-themed park.
6. Administrative detentions: During 2022, Israeli courts issued around 85 administrative detention orders compared to 36 issued in 2021, marking a 136% increase.
7. Expulsion from Al-Aqsa: According to a report issued by the Jerusalem International Foundation, from January 1, 2022, to January 1, 2023, approximately 696 individuals were expelled from Al-Aqsa Mosque, including Muslim worshippers, Waqf employees, and Jerusalemites.
8. Appointment of Israeli police guards at the entrances of the mosque: An average of six officers stationed around the clock were tasked with stopping most worshippers from entering, denying some, and stealing the identities of others.
9. Construction of a suspension bridge in Wadi al-Rababa: In November 2022, the occupation’s municipality in Jerusalem began constructing a suspension bridge linking the southern side of Wadi al-Rababa to the northern side of Mount Zion, southwest of the Jerusalem walls. The bridge's cost amounts to 20 million shekels (approximately $5.6 million). Additionally, Israeli authorities officially announced the bridge's opening in late July 2023, making it the longest suspension bridge in Jerusalem.

The bridge is part of the Holy Basin project, facilitating settlers' access from West Jerusalem to Mount Zion adjacent to the Maghrabi Gate and encircling the Silwan area to prevent its expansion.

10. Ongoing Demolition: In 2022, Israeli bulldozers targeted the properties of Jerusalemites for demolition throughout the year, recording 176 demolition cases, including 69 cases of forced self-demolition.

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Jerusalem affairs Researcher

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