Why is
the Al-Aqsa Mosque, important to Muslims and Jews, so controversial?
Tensions
have risen this week after Israeli police arrested Palestinians at the Al-Aqsa
Mosque, which was followed by Israeli airstrikes on suspected Hamas targets in
the Gaza Strip and Lebanon on Thursday night.
The extent
of damage caused by the Israeli airstrikes is not yet known.
Israeli
forces claim that rocket attacks on Israel from Lebanon had been launched
earlier.
The arrests
by Israel at the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Wednesday were strongly condemned by the
Muslim world.
Why is
Al-Aqsa Mosque so important?
Al-Aqsa
Mosque is located on a hill in the center of the Old City of Jerusalem, known
to Muslims as the 'Al-Haram Al-Sharif'.
It should be
noted that Jerusalem is a holy place for followers of the three religions
Islam, Judaism and Christianity, while Al-Aqsa Mosque is considered the third
holiest place in Islam after the Grand Mosque in Mecca and the Prophet's Mosque
in Medina.
The Haram
Al-Sharif compound contains two holy sites for Muslims, including the Dome of
the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which was built in the eighth century.
The entire
compound is called the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Covering an area of about 35 acres,
this site is called the Temple Mount by Jews, while the Dome of the Rock is
also considered the holiest site in Judaism.
Muslims
believe that several prophets worshipped here, including Abraham, David,
Solomon, Elijah and Jesus.
Muslims
believe that the Prophet Muhammad was brought from Mecca to Al-Aqsa Mosque in a
single night in 620 AD, from where he made the ascension. That is why it is
considered very sacred to Muslims.
On the other
hand, Jews believe that King Solomon built the first synagogue on this site
three thousand years ago.
According to
them, the second synagogue built on this site was destroyed by the Romans in 70
BC
. Who runs the mosque system?
It should be
noted that after the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Israel occupied the Al-Aqsa Mosque
and annexed it to Israel along with East Jerusalem and the West Bank.
Before that,
the area was under the control of Egypt and Jordan, but Israel's occupation was
never recognized internationally.
According to
the 1967 agreement between Israel and Jordan regarding the Al-Aqsa complex, the
Jordanian Waqf Board was responsible for managing the interior of the mosque,
while Israel was responsible for external security arrangements.
The
Hashemite King of Jordan is the official custodian of the Muslim holy sites in
Al-Aqsa, and he still nominates the members of the Islamic Waqf through whom
the system is run.
According to
an agreement, non-Muslims can also visit this place, but only Muslims are
allowed to pray inside the mosque premises.
Israel's
religious leaders have banned Jews from entering the Temple Mount because it is
so sacred to Jewish belief that people should not enter.
Under
Israeli government rules, Christians and Jews can visit the site as tourists,
and that too for four hours five days a week.
The
complex's western wall, known as the 'Wailing Wall' or the Wailing Wall, is
where Jews pray. It is believed to be the only original part of the synagogue
built by King Salman.
Muslims call
it the 'Baraq Wall'. It is said that the Prophet Muhammad tied the 'Baraq' here
. Conflict
In 2000,
Ariel Sharon, then the leader of Israel's main opposition party, visited the
site with members of the right-wing Likud party.
He said,
'The Temple Mount is in our hands and will remain in our hands.' This is the
holiest site in Judaism and every Jew has the right to come here.’
This led to
protests in Palestine, which led to violent clashes and the start of the
Al-Aqsa Intifada, in which 3,000 Palestinians and 1,000 Israelis were killed.
Why did the
plan to sacrifice a goat in Jerusalem increase tensions?
The war that
changed the Middle East
Why is
Jerusalem the most controversial city in the world?
In May 2021,
clashes broke out between protesters and Israeli police in the Al-Aqsa Mosque
compound against the eviction of Palestinian citizens, injuring 163
Palestinians and 17 Israeli police officers.
In response,
Hamas fired rockets from the Gaza Strip into Jerusalem, leading to 11 days of
tension with Israel.
Last year,
for the first time in 30 years, the Islamic month of Ramadan and the week-long
Jewish holiday of Passover began together, and Israeli police tried to
forcefully vacate the compound for Jews, leading to violent clashes.
Palestinians,
on the other hand, say that police used rubber bullets and stun grenades and
injured 50 people.
The protests
began because of reports that Jewish extremists would try to slaughter a goat
in the compound, which Jews themselves call the ‘Temple Mount’.
Every year,
Jewish extremist groups lobby to be allowed to slaughter a goat on the Temple
Mount before the Passover festival.
However,
Israeli police and religious authorities say they will not allow such an act.
Israeli
Prime Minister Netanyahu says that the police acted to restore peace and open
the way for all religions, while the Islamic Endowment says that the police
desecrated the mosque.
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