Jerusalem Researcher Warns of Growing Threat to Aqsa Mosque Over Saturday Settler Incursions

sajadi Editor : Widi - 17 hours yang lalu

17 hours yang lalu

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Jerusalem, MINA – Jerusalem affairs researcher Ziad Ibhais has warned of growing threats to Aqsa Mosque amid efforts by Temple Mount organizations to open the compound to Israeli settler incursions on Saturdays, saying that the Israeli government’s delayed response to the request may indicate that the proposal remains under consideration.

Ibhais explained that Asaf Fried, spokesperson for the Union of Temple Mount Organizations and chairman of the Committee to Open the Temple Mount on Saturdays, announced that Israel’s Attorney General’s Office had requested additional time from the Supreme Court to submit the government’s response to a petition seeking to allow settler incursions into Aqsa Mosque on Saturdays. He noted that this marked the second postponement in the case, with the latest extension expected to last 30 days.

According to Ibhais, Temple Mount organizations are using the court case to promote their demand among the Israeli public and launch a gradual campaign of pressure to achieve their objective, even if the proposal is not implemented immediately. Ibhais pointed out that similar demands had previously been rejected quickly on security grounds, citing the rejection of a request to conduct sacrificial offerings at Aqsa Mosque in 2012. He further said that the delay in the government’s response this time raises concerns that Israeli authorities may be considering whether to approve the request.

The researcher noted that Israeli Justice Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Yariv Levin had previously hinted at support for such a move during a Hanukkah celebration outside the Mughrabi Gate on December 21, 2025. He added that Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir explicitly pledged to allow settler incursions into Aqsa Mosque on Saturdays during his own incursion into the compound on August 31, 2026.

Ibhais further argued that the Supreme Court’s decision to hear the case reflects an expansion of Israeli judicial involvement in matters concerning Aqsa Mosque, potentially undermining its longstanding historical status quo. He noted that the court has been hearing cases related to Al-Aqsa since 1993, with the frequency of such cases increasing over time.

Ibhais stressed that efforts to expand the temporal division of Aqsa Mosque and allow Israeli settler incursions on Saturdays represent a significant development requiring early action. He warned that approving the proposal could pave the way for establishing Saturdays as a regular weekly occasion for settler incursions under religious pretexts.

The researcher called for strengthening the Muslim presence at Aqsa Mosque, particularly during Saturday morning hours, emphasizing that increased attendance and a sustained presence at the compound are essential to counter attempts to impose new realities at the holy site.[]