The Israeli political arena has witnessed a new escalatory move, as 22 Israeli officials signed an official letter demanding that the police allow settlers to storm the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque next Friday. This step comes amid pressure from alleged Temple groups to change the status quo in the mosque, especially on days when incursions are usually prohibited.
Sources revealed that the letter, published by the far-right organization 'By Our Hands', included the signatures of 9 ministers and 13 Knesset members, reflecting a broader governmental trend towards escalation in occupied Jerusalem. These demands aim to exploit what is called 'Jerusalem Day' according to the Hebrew calendar, which this year falls on Friday, May 15th.
This timing carries dangerous symbolic and political connotations, as the proposed day of incursion coincides with the Palestinians' commemoration of the 1948 Nakba anniversary. This move represents an attempt to impose a new reality within the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque on a day that holds special sanctity for Muslims and when the number of worshippers doubles.
Since 2003, the Israeli police have followed a protocol that prohibits settler incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque on Fridays and Saturdays of every week. However, the current pressures from Likud and Religious Zionism ministers seek to break this historical rule and expand the scope of violations to include all days of the week without exception.
Benjamin Netanyahu's 'Likud' party topped the list of signatories to the petition, with sovereign ministers such as Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Justice Minister Yariv Levin participating. They were joined by ministers of health, energy, communications, sports, and innovation, as well as MKs from the extremist Religious Zionism party.
Observers believe that the involvement of Likud ministers with such weight reflects Netanyahu's desire to undermine National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. It appears that the Prime Minister seeks to assert his control over the Jerusalem file and not leave the arena to Ben-Gvir alone to showcase his gains to the far-right bases.
Previous reports indicated that the number of ministers demanding the incursion was limited to only three last week, but the sudden jump to nine ministers puts the police under immense political pressure. The Israeli police have not yet issued a final decision regarding responding to these demands, which could ignite the situation on the ground.
Settler incursions are usually accompanied by provocative practices, including performing Talmudic rituals, silent prayers, and raising Israeli flags inside the Haram al-Sharif. These violations occur under strict protection from occupation forces, which impose severe restrictions on the entry of Palestinian worshippers and assault them.
Researchers in Jerusalem affairs warned that this escalation represents a real and unprecedented danger to the identity of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque. Research sources confirmed that the occupation is effectively moving towards imposing incursions on Fridays, which is considered a crossing of all red lines that have been maintained for decades.
For their part, Palestinian activities continue to warn of the consequences of these steps, which fall within plans to Judaize Jerusalem and erase its Arab and Islamic features. Palestinians adhere to East Jerusalem as the capital of their independent state, rejecting all annexation and occupation measures not recognized by the international community.
These developments come at a time when occupation leaders face international prosecutions, with Netanyahu remaining wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of committing war crimes. Al-Aqsa Mosque remains the primary focal point of the conflict, as the occupation attempts to exploit current circumstances to impose absolute and false sovereignty over Islamic holy sites.
The occupation is moving towards imposing settler incursions on Friday for the first time since the occupation of Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is a real and existing danger.
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Unprecedented Israeli Escalation: Ministers and MKs Demand Storming Al-Aqsa Next Friday