Israel is violating the religious freedom of Palestinians by restricting access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque located atop the Temple Mount

The Israeli Response

Important historical facts about the Temple Mount:

The Temple Mount and the adjacent Western Wall are sites of pilgrimage for the Jewish people. The Al-Aqsa Mosque which sits atop the Temple Mount is the third holiest site in Islam beliefs and serves as a prayer hall for Muslims.

The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound has been under the custodianship of the Hashemite rulers of Jordan, after Jordan's conquest and occupation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, during the 1948 war.

During the Six-Day War (1967), Israel conquered East Jerusalem and the Old City, and immediately gave custodianship to the Jordanian Islamic Waqf, retaining control over access to the site to this day (2023)

What rights does Israel give to its citizens at Temple Mount?

Muslims are free to pray

Jews may visit but are prevented from praying

All citizens are restricted from entering during times of conflict for everyone’s protection

Access restriction is just one of many false accusations made by Palestinian leaders about Al-Aqsa

1920s - “Al-Aqsa is in danger”

This is a falsehood spread during the 1920s by Mufti Haj Amin Al-Husseini, the leader of the Palestinian Arabs under British Mandate rule.

Stated that there are plans to destroy Muslim holy sites to make room for the construction of a third Temple.

He aimed to mobilize the Arab and Islamic world .

This lie was further propagated by Sheikh Abd al-Qadir al-Muzaffar into the Muslim world.

September 28th, 2000 - rumors of “Al-Aqsa in danger”

Yasser Arafat and the Palestinian Authority began spreading this false statement when Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon went up to Temple Mount.

As was revealed and confirmed by Arafat’s wife Nabil Shaath, these blood libels sparked protests and riots which resulted in the Second Intifada (2000-2005).

This Intifada claimed the lives of 745 Israeli civilians and 319 soldiers.

Ramadan, 2022 “The struggle for Al-Aqsa”

19 Israelis were murdered in terrorist attacks that occurred under the guise that the mosque is in danger.

October 4th, 2023 - "Israel's incursions into Al-Aqsa mosque"

The Qatari Foreign Ministry took part in spreading this lie by stating that these actions constitute a provocation of Muslims and Christians worldwide.

The October 7th massacre (referred to as “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood”) initiated by Hamas who were joined by Hezbollah and the Houthis heavily relied on this rhetoric.

This resulted in the murders, torture, mass rapes and the forceful taking of Israeli and foreign hostages, all allegedly in the defense of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and against the "occupation" in Gaza.

Blood libels have never been a path to peace and prosperity, and they won’t be the path for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The lies of the Palestinian leaders have lead to deaths of Jews and Palestinians for hundreds of years.

From the media

Al-Aksa in danger cartoons. Taken from https://jcpa.org/al-aksa-is-in-danger-libel/

70 thousand Muslims praying at Temple mount during Ramadan 2024, in the midst of the Swords of Iron war. Photo by the Jordanian Wakf of East Jerusalem

Tens of thousands of Muslim worshippers pray at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound on Qadr Night (Laylat al-Qadr) during the month of Ramadan in Jerusalem's Old City, April 27, 2022. Photo by Jamal Awad/Flash90.png

Resources

People Involved

Conclusions

Palestinian leaders are spreading many FALSE accusations to call for violence by cynically exploiting the deep connection Arabs have to Al-Aqsa. Muslims are given special benefits when visiting Temple Mount while Jews are given discriminatory access and lack privileges.

The Israeli Response