Palestinian government denounces settler threat to Al-Aqsa Mosque

Foreign Ministry calls on international community to deal with ‘incitement’ to destroy the holy site seriously.

The Palestinian government has expressed “extreme concern” over threats circulating among Israeli settler organisations to destroy the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates warned on Saturday of calls by Israeli settler organisations circulating on Hebrew-language social media platforms to attack and demolish the mosque and construct a temple in its place.

The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem is Islam’s third holiest site and a symbol of Palestinian identity. It is administered by Jordan, but access to the site itself is controlled by Israeli soldiers. It is also considered an important site by Jews, who believe it to be the site of the First and Second Temples, the latter destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.

Earlier this week, an Al-generated video depicting the destruction of the mosque and construction of the “Third Temple” under the title “Next Year in Jerusalem” was published on the platforms.

In a statement published on X, the ministry said it considers the posts on social media a “systematic incitement to escalate the targeting of Christian and Islamic holy sites in occupied Jerusalem”.

“The Ministry calls on the international community and its relevant UN institutions to deal with this incitement with utmost seriousness, and to take the measures required by international law,” it said.

Regular target

Al-Aqsa has become a regular target of visits by right-wing Israeli politicians and Israeli settlers, who have stormed the compound on an almost weekly basis and performed religious rituals under the protection of Israeli forces.

Under the decades-old status quo maintained by Israeli authorities, Jews and other non-Muslims are allowed to visit the compound in occupied East Jerusalem during specified hours, but they are not permitted to pray there or display religious symbols.

Last August, right-wing Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir caused outrage by saying he would build a Jewish synagogue at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, known to the Jews as the Temple Mount.

Once considered a fringe movement, the campaign to build a “Third Temple” on Al-Aqsa is growing in Israel, and many Palestinians see parallels with what has happened in Hebron, where the Ibrahimi Mosque, also known as the Cave of the Patriarchs, was partitioned.

Since taking office in December 2022, Ben-Gvir, as national security minister, has visited the holy site at least six times, drawing severe condemnation.