Explained: Why al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem is a regular site of conflict between Israel and Palestine

The al-Aqsa mosque once again saw violence after Israeli police officials attacked dozens of worshippers at the religious site’s compound on Wednesday morning.

Israeli police claimed they were responding to ‘rioting’. According to them, a number of Palestinian worshippers had barricaded themselves in the mosque after Ramzan prayers. Israeli police said in a statement that they were forced to enter the compound after “masked agitators” locked themselves inside the mosque with fireworks, sticks and stones.

“When the police entered, stones were thrown at them and fireworks were fired from inside the mosque by a large group of agitators,” the statement said, adding that a police officer was wounded in the leg.

Palestine later reported that 14 people had been injured and Palestinian Red Crescent later alleged that Israeli forces were preventing its medics from reaching the mosque.

However, this is not the first time the flashpoint holy site has seen violence erupt. The al-Aqsa Mosque has often been a point of conflict between Israel and Palestine. We explain why.

The significance of al-Aqsa

Al-Aqsa is the name of the lead-domed mosque inside a 35-acre compound referred to as al-Haram al-Sharif, or the Noble Sanctuary, by Muslims. It is the third-holiest site in Islam. The Sanctuary includes the Dome of the Rock, the four minarets, the compound’s historic gates, and the mosque itself.

The Jews call it Temple Mount, the holiest place in Judaism.

The hilltop compound housing the mosque lies in the Old City of Jerusalem, a World Heritage site, and is important to the three Abrahamic religions.

What the Jews believe

Temple Mount, is where many believe two ancient Jewish temples once stood – the temple built by King Solomon, which was destroyed by the Babylonians, and the second temple, destroyed by the Romans. However, the Jewish law and the Israeli Rabbinate forbid Jews from entering the compound and praying there, as it is considered too holy to tread upon.

The site is also home to the “Foundation Stone,” where Jews believe the creation of the world began and where God promises his full presence.

What the Muslims believe

In Arabic, al-Aqsa has two meanings – “the furthest”, which refers to its distance from Mecca, as mentioned in the Quran, and also “the supreme”, referring to its status among Muslims.

Muslims also believe the site is where Prophet Muhammad led his fellow prophets in prayer during a miraculous night journey from Mecca to Jerusalem. The Quran says the prophet was “carried…by night from the Sacred Mosque [in Mecca] to the Farthest Mosque [al-Aqsa], whose precincts we have blessed.”

From there, it is believed that Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven – called the Miraj. The Dome of the Rock is said to shelter the rock from where Mohammed physically ascended.

The conflict

In 1947, the United Nations chalked a plan to divide Palestine, then under British, into two states – one for Jews and one for the Palestinians. East Jerusalem, which houses al-Aqsa, belonged to the international community under the administration of the UN because of its religious significance.

After Israel declared statehood, the first Arab-Israeli war broke out in 1948. Israel captured around 78 per cent of the land and the remaining areas of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza were under Egyptian and Jordanian control, according to a report in Al Jazeera.

Israel started occupying East Jerusalem and after the Six-Day War in 1967 with Syria, Egypt, and Jordan, it eventually annexed Jerusalem, including the Old City and al-Aqsa.

In 1980, Israel passed a law that declared Jerusalem the “complete and united” capital of Israel, in violation of international law. Today, no country in the world recognises Israel’s ownership of Jerusalem or its attempts to change the geography and demographic makeup of the city, reports Al Jazeera.

Palestinians in Jerusalem hold only permanent residency status, not citizenship, despite being born there. This is not the case for Jews who are born in the city.

The status of the site

Jordan and Israel agreed in 1967 that the Waqf, or the Islamic trust, would have control over matters inside the compound. The external security would be handled by Israel. Non-Muslims would be allowed onto the site during visiting hours, but would not be allowed to pray there.

However, Israeli forces allow Jews to enter the al-Aqsa compound from time to time in the presence of security forces and this has been a bone of contention for years. Under the Preservation of the Holy Places Law, the Israeli government has also allowed entry of Christian pilgrims into the compound. And Israeli forces regular patrol and conduct searches within the precinct.

Past clashes and controversies

Al-Aqsa is described as the “most sensitive site in the Israel-Palestinian conflict” and has often been at the centre of clashes and political controversies.

In August 1969, an Australian Christian named Dennis Michael Rohan attempted to burn down al-Aqsa, destroying the historically significant and intricately carved minbar – or “pulpit” – of Saladin, a treasured piece of Islamic art, according to a report in The Conversation.

In 1990, Temple Mount Faithful, an Orthodox Jewish movement, said it would lay a cornerstone for the Third Temple in place of the Dome of the Rock. This led to riots in which 20 Palestinians were killed by Israeli police.

In September 2000, Israeli politician Ariel Sharon entered the holy site accompanied by some 1,000 police personnel. This led to the Second Intifada, a Palestinian uprising, in which more than 3,000 Palestinians and some 1,000 Israelis were killed.

After an attack on Yehuda Glick, a controversial right-wing rabbi, in 2014, Israeli authorities closed down access to al-Aqsa for the first time since 1967.

In May 2017, the Israeli cabinet held its weekly meeting in tunnels below al-Aqsa Mosque to mark the 50th anniversary of the Israeli occupation of East Jerusalem, a move that left the Palestinians seething.

In May 2021, the militant group Hamas fired rockets into Israel from Gaza after it gave an ultimatum to Israel to withdraw security forces from the al-Aqsa compound. The deadline came after clashes around the holy site left 300 injured. The Israeli police had stormed the compound firing stun grenades and tear gas.

The latest violence is yet another flashpoint in the long and troubled history of Israel and Palestine.

With inputs from agencies

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