DaysofPal- The recent entry of Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir into the Al-Aqsa compound has ignited a wave of widespread Arab and Islamic outrage. This move follows a period when the site remained closed to Muslim worshippers for more than 35 days, preventing them from performing prayers throughout the month of Ramadan and during the Eid al-Fitr feast.
Experts warn that this event is not merely a symbolic gesture. Instead, it appears to be part of an integrated plan to establish a new reality within the site, paving the way for consistent settler incursions and the enforcement of temporal and spatial division.
Ziad Ibhais, a researcher specializing in Jerusalem affairs, suggests that Ben-Gvir’s entry served as a preparatory step to open the site to settlers during the Hebrew Passover. This follows a systematic policy of restricting Islamic worship while expanding the scope of settler presence.
According to reports from the International Jerusalem Foundation, the occupying authorities intend to facilitate groups of 150 settlers at a time. To create an illusion of balance, they propose allowing an equal number of Muslim worshippers to enter.
Establishing “Equal Rights” and Physical Division
The International Jerusalem Foundation views this mechanism as a practical attempt to impose a concept of “equal rights” between Muslims and settlers. This strategy fundamentally contradicts the nature of Islamic worship, which relies on communal prayer.
By limiting the number of worshippers in such a vast space, the authorities effectively keep the site closed to the Muslim community despite a technical appearance of being “open.” Observers warn that this decision marks a transition from a project of “sharing” to one that prioritizes a Jewish presence, aiming for full Judaization of the area.
These developments follow a series of unprecedented restrictions during Ramadan. Israeli authorities prevented evening prayers for extended periods, closed the mosque on multiple consecutive Fridays and banned religious retreat practices during the final days of the holy month. Worshippers also reported arrests and physical confrontations during this time.
Although Israeli officials have cited security concerns, critics argue that there has been no significant change on the ground to justify such sweeping measures. Instead, they see the restrictions as part of a broader effort to impose new realities at the site.
Marginalizing the Jordanian Guardianship
Concerns are also growing over the role of the Islamic endowment authority administered by Jordan, which has historically overseen the mosque. Observers warn that expanding powers granted to Israeli officials could sideline this role, shifting control over access and administration.
Official reactions have been strong. Palestinian religious authorities condemned the minister’s entry, describing it as a serious violation of a site considered exclusively for Muslim worship. They called for coordinated regional and international efforts to end the restrictions and ensure freedom of religion.
The Jordanian Foreign Ministry also denounced the move, calling it a clear breach of international law and of the longstanding historical and legal arrangements governing the site. It reaffirmed that the entire mosque compound is a place of worship for Muslims and that its administration should remain under the authority of the Islamic endowment.
A New Phase of Transformation
Taken together, these developments point to a broader escalation. Analysts suggest that Israeli policies are shifting from limited, periodic entries toward attempts to establish a more permanent and regulated presence for settlers inside the compound.
With the mosque still closed and calls for increased settler access growing louder, concerns are mounting that a new phase is unfolding, one that could redefine the status and identity of one of the most sensitive religious sites in the region.
At the same time, Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim voices are calling for mobilization and greater pressure to reopen the mosque, warning that the situation reflects not isolated incidents but a sustained effort to impose new conditions on the ground.
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