7 Zionist policies for the Judaization of Al-Aqsa Mosque Palestine

Since the Israeli entity occupied Jerusalem in 1967, its attempts to dominate Al-Aqsa Mosque, the first of the two qiblas, have intensified in an effort to erase its Islamic identity and transform it into a symbol of Jewish religious sovereignty.

What increases the danger of these policies is that they are interconnected with a Zionist ideological background based on alleged biblical narratives. These narratives are employed to impose facts on the ground that pave the way for the construction of what is called the "Third Temple" on the ruins of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The Noble Quran has linked Al-Aqsa Mosque with the Night Ascension, in the Almighty's saying:( Glory to Him who made His servant travel by night from the sacred place of worship to the furthest place of worship, whose surroundings We have blessed,) (Al-Isra:1)

It is a Quranic affirmation of the sanctity of this place and its deep connection to the faith and spiritual history of Muslims.

In this context, we highlight the seven most prominent systematic Zionist policies used to Judaize Al-Aqsa Mosque and undermine its religious and civilizational presence, as part of a broader settlement project targeting Jerusalem and its holy sites.

1.    The complete domination over Jerusalem:

The occupying authorities are seeking to impose their comprehensive control over the eastern part of Jerusalem, particularly the Old City and the area surrounding the Al-Aqsa Mosque, under religious and historical claims related to the "Promised Land" and the alleged "Third Temple." This policy includes intensifying the presence of the Israeli army and police in the area, enhancing settlement infrastructure, and altering the urban and historical character of the Old City.

2.   Establishing Jewish religious sovereignty over the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The "Temple" groups, supported by the official Israeli institution, are working to entrench the Jewish presence at Al-Aqsa Mosque through a series of measures, the most prominent of which are: organizing daily incursions into the mosque's courtyards, publicly calling for the performance of religious rituals inside it, and pushing to establish a temporal division (specifying times for Jews and others for Muslims) and a spatial division (designating parts of it for Jews), in a repeat of the model of dividing the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron.

3.   The payment towards building the "third structure

The project to rebuild the "Temple" on the ruins of Al-Aqsa Mosque is considered a central goal in Zionist religious ideology. Extremist Jewish groups promote the idea that the construction of the Temple is a religious necessity that paves the way for what they call the "promised salvation" or the "appearance of the Messiah." Institutions have been established specifically to collect donations, prepare worship artifacts and sacrifices, and even create virtual models of the Temple as a preliminary step to implement the project in reality.

4.   The Judaization of the city and the change of its demographic character.

The Zionist occupation continues with a systematic policy of Judaization that aims to diminish the Palestinian presence in Jerusalem, through the expansion of settlements, the revocation of Jerusalemite identities, and the imposition of strict restrictions on construction, renovation, and permits, while granting extensive privileges to settlers. This policy also includes projects for the forcible displacement of residents from Arab neighborhoods such as Silwan and Sheikh Jarrah, as part of an attempt to encircle Al-Aqsa with a demographic wall of Jews.

5.   The imposition of the Jewish narrative on the city

The occupying authorities are trying to impose a unilateral biblical narrative about Jerusalem, which overshadows the Islamic and Arab narrative. This is achieved through control of educational curricula, shaping media discourse, and utilizing the tourism sector to serve this narrative. There is also manipulation and distortion of archaeological sites to support claims of the "Temple," in a deliberate denial of the ancient Islamic existence of Jerusalem.

6.   Removal and arrest of the defenders (those who perform the act of 'Ribat')

To ensure that the mosque is free from active popular Islamic presence, the authorities are working to distance its most prominent defenders and arrest religious and national figures. This policy includes targeting the women who are steadfast (Murabatat), as well as the imams and preachers of the mosque, preventing them from entering Al-Aqsa for long periods. This aims to empty the mosque of its true guardians and facilitate a takeover without popular resistance.

7.   Restricting Islamic endowments

The Islamic Endowments Department affiliated with the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf is suffering from increasing Zionist interventions in its work, as its employees are prohibited from conducting restoration or maintenance work inside the mosque without Israeli permits, and these permits are often met with rejection or delays.

The occupation is also attempting to diminish the powers of the Waqf and withdraw its legal and historical role as the responsible authority for managing the affairs of the mosque.

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