Omar Ahmed
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That is to say the escalations surrounding the Aqsa Mosque compound in al-Quds/Jerusalem have heightened tensions, with significant implications for the region. Zionist threats to Al-Aqsa, particularly calls to alter its status and the provocative statements from Israeli far-right figures, suggest a broader agenda that ties into ongoing resistance efforts, namely the Hamas-led “Al-Aqsa Storm” operation, now nearing its one-year mark.
Recent months have seen increased calls by Israeli officials and far-right settler groups to allow Jewish prayer at Al-Aqsa, which directly challenges the long-standing agreement regarding the site’s administration.
Under the current arrangement, which dates back to the post-1967 period, only Muslims are permitted to pray within the mosque compound, while non-Muslims may visit under strict guidelines. Yet, figures like Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir have repeatedly pushed for changes to this arrangement.
In August, Ben-Gvir restated his desire for a synagogue to be built at the site, calling for Jewish prayer rights within the compound, a stance widely seen as an attempt to “Judaize” the sacred space and city.
These statements have been met with fierce condemnation from across the Arab and Muslim worlds. States in the region have decried the move as a dangerous provocation that risks inflaming religious tensions.
Jordan, which supposedly serves as the custodian of Islamic holy sites in Al-Quds/Jerusalem, emphasized its responsibility to defend the mosque and has hinted at taking legal action in international courts to halt these provocations and even taking the issue up with the UN Security Council.
This followed Ben-Gvir’s provocative comments and reports that the occupation state’s “Ministry of Heritage” intends to fund tours for Jews and zionist tourists to the compound, with Israeli police having approved the plans, according to public broadcaster Kan.
Back in June, following the so-called Flag March, Iran’s foreign ministry also condemned the desecration of the mosque, stating that:
“The child-killing and occupying Israeli regime has been isolated in the world more than ever, and such measures will definitely make the regime more isolated and hateful”, the Iranian diplomat said, calling on Muslim countries to maintain unity in order to counter Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people.”
The heightened tension at Al-Aqsa is not just a local issue. It connects to broader movements and resistance efforts, not just Hamas and other Palestinian factions, but the region’s Resistance Axis. The “Aqsa Storm” operation, launched almost a year ago, aimed to highlight the centrality of Al-Quds/Jerusalem and the sacred mosque in the Palestinian struggle.
This campaign, which began as a military response to ongoing land-grabbing and annexation by the occupation entity, quickly expanded to emphasize the protection of Al-Aqsa and the broader goal of resisting zionist control over East Jerusalem.
As early as late October 2023, the same month in which the resistance operation was launched, an official of Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) described the centrality of Al-Aqsa Mosque in the operation, stating:
“The goal of ‘Al-Aqsa Storm’ operation has been declared from the beginning, which is to prevent the targeting of Al-Aqsa Mosque (in Jerusalem), disparaging or insulting of Muslim religious rites, assault of our women, efforts to Judaize Al-Aqsa Mosque and normalize Israeli occupation of it, or divide it temporally and spatially.”
“This is what the enemy was working to do continuously, which is why the operation was named “Al-Aqsa Storm,” he added.
For these Palestinian factions, the fight for Al-Aqsa represents more than just a battle for a piece of land; it is a symbol of the larger Palestinian resistance against the occupation of one of Islam’s holiest sites. The operation was explicitly framed as part of a long-term resistance strategy, with Hamas warning that continued provocations at Al-Aqsa would be a “dangerous escalation.”
In a recent statement in September, Hamas criticized Tel Aviv’s tacit support of extremist groups that seek to demolish Al-Aqsa. “We call on our Palestinian people in Jerusalem, the West Bank and the occupied interior [Israel] to travel to the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and defend it,” the movement said.
The current provocations at Al-Aqsa also feed into the broader context of Israel’s occupation of East Jerusalem and its wider settlement policies. Palestinians and most of the international community view East Jerusalem, including Al-Aqsa, as the future capital of a Palestinian state. Any attempt to alter the status quo of the mosque or its surrounding areas is therefore seen as an effort to entrench Israeli control and weaken Palestinian and Islamic claims to the city.
This issue is further complicated by the growing influence of far-right (even by Israeli standards) politicians, many of whom explicitly call for greater Jewish access to and control over Al-Aqsa, exacerbates these tensions. With the rise of these elements within Israeli politics, the possibility of further escalations looms large.
As we approach the one-year anniversary of Al-Aqsa Storm operation, it becomes clear that the conflict over Al-Aqsa is more than just a local issue. It represents a battleground for broader political, religious, and ideological struggles.
Zionist threats to the mosque compound, particularly the push for Jewish prayer rights and the potential construction of a synagogue, are seen by Palestinians and the wider Muslim world as an affront to their religious rights and a step toward the full Judaization of Al-Quds/ Jerusalem.
This issue remains central in the current war, now undoubtedly a regional one, with Al-Aqsa symbolizing the enduring struggle for Palestinian self-determination and resistance. The continued provocations threaten to fuel further violence, potentially sparking a larger religious war, as Palestinian leaders have warned. With resistance groups framing their efforts as a defence of Al-Aqsa, the mosque remains at the heart of the conflict, and its future will likely continue to be a flashpoint in the region.
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