Latest news with #IslamicWaqf
Saba Yemen
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
In Provocative Move: War Criminal Netanyahu appears in video inside tunnel under Al-Aqsa Mosque
Occupied Quds - Saba: In a provocative move, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a wanted war criminal sought by the International Criminal Court (ICC), posted a video showing himself inside a massive archaeological tunnel dug beneath the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, stretching from Silwan to directly beneath the mosque. In his recorded speech from inside the tunnel, Netanyahu declared, "Al-Quds will remain the eternal capital of Israel," pledging to push for international recognition and the relocation of embassies to the city. His visit coincided with the 58th anniversary of the 1967 occupation of Jerusalem, known in Israel as "Al-Quds Unification Day." The city witnessed unprecedented escalations by settlers under the protection of occupation forces, including a large-scale incursion into Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyards by over 2,090 settlers, as well as the "Flag March," which featured racist chants such as "Death to Arabs" and "Let Gaza be wiped out." Observers described Netanyahu's appearance inside the tunnel as an attempt to impose a "new Judaized reality" in Al-Quds. Activists viewed it as a direct violation of Islamic sanctities and a threat to the foundations of Al-Aqsa Mosque, especially since the occupation authorities' excavations—under the pretext of searching for "remnants of the alleged Temple"—have continued for years without yielding any historical evidence to support these claims. The video also sparked widespread anger among Palestinian and Arab circles, with factions condemning the visit as a "dangerous provocation" and a "threat to the fragile status quo" in the occupied city. The Islamic Waqf and Jordan called on the international community to intervene and halt repeated Israeli violations against Al-Aqsa. According to Al-Quds Al-Arabi newspaper, observers warn that these Israeli actions, including Netanyahu's visit, could ignite a new wave of escalation in Al-Quds—particularly amid what activists describe as "shameful" Arab and international silence—as Judaization policies targeting the city, both above and below ground, continue unchecked. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print more of (International)
Saba Yemen
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
Zionist enemy attacks "Ribat al-Kurd" Islamic Waqf in al-Quds
Occupied al-Quds - Saba: Israeli enemy municipality employees, under police protection, attacked "Ribat al-Kurd" Islamic Waqf in al-Quds. They removed iron panels and dirt and opened the entrance to a stone archway that had been closed for many years in Hosh Shihabi, near Bab al-Hadid (the Iron Gate), one of the gates of al-Aqsa Mosque. Informed sources told the Palestinian Safa News Agency that the area from which the employees removed the dirt and iron supports had been closed for decades. It is adjacent to the western wall of al-Aqsa Mosque and is an Islamic Waqf called "Ribat al-Kurd." The sources explained that the enemy forces erected iron barriers around Hosh Shihabi and sealed it off from all sides while the municipality employees were working there, amid a heavy police presence. The sources added that the Director General of the Islamic Endowments Department in al-Quds, Sheikh Azzam al-Khatib, the Director of Properties, and department employees headed to Hosh Shihabi to inspect the attack taking place at the "Ribat al-Kurd" (Kurdish Quarter), which is an integral part of the western wall of al-Aqsa Mosque. The sources confirmed that the actions of the municipality employees constituted a blatant attack in broad daylight, setting a dangerous precedent with the approval of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. They explained that the employees placed supports on the stone arch, which supports a building belonging to the Shihabi family, and removed a large garbage container from the courtyard, allegedly to carry out maintenance work. The sources emphasized that these excavations, which took place at "Ribat al-Kurd" with the approval of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, are part of a Judaization plan and the establishment of a new reality at the western wall of Al-Aqsa Mosque. This includes expanding Hosh Shihabi to accommodate the largest possible number of settlers, and attempting to open the gate located behind the rubble, which leads to the western tunnel. It's worth noting that the "Ribat al-Kurd" (Kurdish Wall) has been targeted by settlers for many years. Settlers have frequently stormed it during Jewish holidays to perform Talmudic rituals, and have dubbed it "the Little Buraq." For its part, the Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported that restoration and maintenance work began today on the so-called "Little Wall," located within the Muslim Quarter of the Old City of occupied Jerusalem. The authority added that Netanyahu approved the commencement of work following discussions in the National Security Council, given the political sensitivity in the region, particularly regarding relations with Jordan. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print more of (International)
Middle East Eye
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Al-Aqsa: Israeli incursions have increased by more than 18,000 percent since 2003
Israeli settler incursions at Al-Aqsa Mosque compound have increased by more than 18,000 percent since 2003 when Israeli authorities began allowing settlers to bypass the Islamic Waqf management and controversially enter Islam's third-holiest site. According to figures from the Waqf, the organisation that administers the historic mosque complex, exactly 289 settlers entered Al-Aqsa in 2003 through the Mughrabi Gate, which stands near the Western Wall. Since then, numbers have drastically risen year-on-year, only falling during the height of the pandemic in 2020 when the number of incursions fell to 18,562. According to the latest full-year data, exactly 53,488 Israeli settlers stormed Al-Aqsa in 2024, an increase of 18,507 percent since 2003. In 2022, before the 7 October attacks on southern Israel, exactly 47,935 settlers stormed the mosque complex, mainly under the protection of heavily armed Israeli police, soldiers, as well as members of the Israeli parliament and religious leaders for controversial Talmudic prayer. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters For decades Israel had prohibited Jewish prayer at Al-Aqsa Mosque over fears of violence erupting in Jerusalem and other areas of the occupied West Bank. However, ultranationalist settlers have opposed this stance, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's hard-right government has increasingly allowed and even encouraged Jewish prayer there. Itamar Ben Gvir, Israel's national security minister and a convicted felon, has also openly called for Jewish prayer at Al-Aqsa, and last stormed the site two weeks ago. Earlier this month, during the Jewish holiday of Passover, at least 6,768 Jews entered the mosque's courtyards to pray, according to the Waqf - more than all the Jewish worshippers that visited during the holidays last year. 'Dire situation' An official from the Waqf told Middle East Eye that during the Passover period there were at least four failed attempts by Israeli settlers to slaughter animals in the mosque's courtyard. According to Jewish tradition, the ashes of a perfectly red heifer cow are needed for the ritual purification that would allow a third temple to be built in Jerusalem. The Waqf official accused Israeli officials of having "no respect" for the Muslim place of worship and said that repeated outreach efforts with the US had failed to yield positive results. "We have been in touch with the Americans for the past four years. But in the end, they made it clear to us that they can't make any decisions toward Al-Aqsa," the official said. The Settlers: Louis Theroux takes an unflinching look at the Israelis intent on stealing the West Bank Read More » Since the 1967 war, there has been a status quo arrangement between Israel, the Palestinians and Jordan - in its capacity as custodian of Christian and Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem - that prevents non-Muslim worship there and allows visits from non-Muslims at specific times. But since 2003, Israeli authorities have allowed settlers to enter the compound nearly daily, excluding Fridays and Saturdays, despite Israel's Chief Rabbinate forbidding Jews from entering the site for religious reasons. The Waqf official said that other than imposing strict restrictions on Palestinian worshippers' enering Al-Aqsa, the Israelis had also made it difficult for the Waqf to carry out necessary maintenance works and repairs. "Today I can't even change a burnt lamp at Al-Aqsa without the permission of Israel, or fix a window or fix a leak with a broken faucet. "The situation is very dire," he added. In recent years, several Jewish groups have begun advocating for the construction of the third temple where Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock stand. Within days of Passover concluding, several pro-settler social media accounts began sharing an AI-generated video clip, which showed the mosque bursting into flames before being replaced with the Third Temple. The video was captioned with the message "Next Year in Jerusalem, Messiah Now."
Middle East Eye
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
In Jerusalem, Christians celebrate Easter at gunpoint
There were barely any Palestinians to be seen in Jerusalem's Old City during the Jewish holiday of Passover. The usual crowds of worshippers that line the main streets leading to Al-Aqsa Mosque were replaced by police officers, armed settlers and metal gates. Every shop was forced to close. A Palestinian woman, one of the few I met at Al-Aqsa Mosque, told me: 'They [Israelis] spit on us; they target those of us who wear scarves.' The situation had reached such lows, she said, that she now avoided going to worship at the revered site during any Jewish holiday. Armed police had amassed at Al-Aqsa to escort thousands of Israeli settlers to the mosque's courtyard. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and other far-right politicians were among them. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters For these politicians, the record number of Jewish worshippers at a spot they call the Temple Mount was a major cause for celebration. 'Historic records on the Temple Mount: A 37% surge in the number of pilgrims during Passover, with 6,315 pilgrims entering the Temple Mount for Passover prayers. An all-time record number,' the Temple Mount administration tweeted. It was a shocking scene to witness, one of Islam's holiest sites filled with sounds usually found in a synagogue. Anger is clearly bubbling away among Christian and Muslim worshippers who are prevented from practicing their religions This may have been a cause for celebration for the Israeli far right, but it was another deep wound inflicted on Muslims who are repeatedly barred from accessing Al-Aqsa Mosque to worship. The Islamic Waqf, the Jordanian-controlled organisation responsible for managing Islamic buildings in Al-Aqsa, was both helpless and irrelevant. An official who works for the body said they had 'zero control over anything'. The official said the body had to wait more than a month to get permission to allow even children's toys into Al-Aqsa library. It is clear that even the writ of King Abdullah II of Jordan, a man who holds the title of official custodian of Al-Aqsa Mosque, has no real sway over what happens at the site. Carpets donated by the king are still awaiting permission to be brought in, the official said. But it is crucial to note that the Old City's settler overlords do not spare Christians any more than they do Muslims. Religious event turned into a war zone On the other side of the Old City, Israeli police assaulted Palestinian Christians attempting to access the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. One member of the border police, an anti-terrorist force, was seen aiming his gun at a member of the Greek Orthodox Scouts. The scenes of Israeli armed police pushing Christian priests, women and children turned a day of religious celebration into a war zone. Follow Middle East Eye's live coverage of the Israel-Palestine war Even Apostolic Nuncio Adolfo Tito Yllana was not spared the humiliation of being held at a barrier and refused permission to attend Easter ceremonies at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. One Christian worshipper who managed to run the gauntlet of the police and get through to the church posted a video showing an empty square - not one that Israeli authorities claimed was dangerously overcrowded. Huge surge of Jewish worshippers at Al-Aqsa Mosque as Muslims locked out Read More » Since the coronavirus pandemic, Israel has imposed strict restrictions on the number of Christians who can enter the church and the square during holidays. They claim the restrictions are for the public's own safety and good. Yanal Jabarin, a Palestinian journalist, says that the restrictions are getting worse and worse every year. Anger is clearly bubbling away among Christian and Muslim worshippers who are prevented from practising their religions. Xavier Abu Eid, a political scientist and former adviser to the Palestine Liberation Organisation, told me that Israel is embarking on a clear plan to change the status quo of Jerusalem's holy sites. 'And if they succeed, I don't think there will be much future for Palestinian Christians in the holy city,' he said. 'They are trying to empty the Christian Quarter and Armenian Quarter.' 'Easter in the shadow of genocide' When Christians were allowed to celebrate Easter this year, the mood was sombre. In Gaza, like much of the West Bank, traditional Easter festivities were replaced by quiet church services and symbolic gestures of resilience. Palestinian Christians marked a solemn Easter in northern Gaza, as Israeli forces continued to lay siege to the enclave's largest hospital and bombed several targets across the embattled territory. Reverend Munther Isaac, a prominent Christian pastor from Bethlehem, warned that Christians in both the occupied West Bank and the war-battered Gaza Strip were facing potential extinction amid relentless Israeli assaults. 'For the second year in a row, we celebrate Easter in the shadow of genocide against the people of Gaza,' Isaac told the Anadolu news agency last week. 'Palestine is still walking the path of sorrow, suffering from Israeli siege and apartheid policies,' he said. 'The same violence that killed Christ still exists in our land today.' The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Eye.
Gulf Insider
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Insider
Israel Allows Largest Ever Group Of Jews To Pray At Al-Aqsa Mosque
Israel allowed more than 1,000 Jewish worshippers to enter Al-Aqsa Mosque on Wednesday, with groups of up to 180 entering the Islamic holy site – the largest number ever permitted by the authorities. They were seen entering the site, referred to as Temple Mount in Judaism, flanked by Israeli security services. The move marks a departure from Israel's previous policy of allowing no more than 30 Jewish Israelis at a time into the site, which was conquered by Israel in the 1967 war and is recognized as occupied territory internationally. The Islamic Waqf, the organization that administers Al-Aqsa Mosque, told Middle East Eye that 1,200 Jewish Israelis entered on Wednesday. More than 4,000 have stormed the Muslim holy site since the Passover holiday began last weekend. Israeli police said that 'officers safeguarded visits to the Temple Mount in accordance with visitation regulations and group size limitations, which are determined by circumstances such as overall visitor numbers and the police's ability to ensure public safety and order'. Thousands of Jewish worshippers could be seen dancing and celebrating at the Lions' Gate entrance to the Old City of Jerusalem. Muslim worshippers were prevented from entering the mosque. Aouni Bazbaz, director of international affairs at the Waqf, told MEE that the scenes on Wednesday – and in the previous days – had been unprecedented. 'These are frightening scenes,' he said. Bazbaz added that the total of settlers who entered the site in 2003 stood at 258, while 'the numbers have risen exponentially' today, with thousands making their way into the complex. 'Today [as the Islamic Waqf], we will be dealing with something we have never ever dealt with before,' he said. A change in status quo? The Chief Rabbinate of Jerusalem has long declared Jewish worship on Temple Mount forbidden unless worshippers are 'ritually pure', which is believed impossible under modern conditions. However, many Orthodox Jewish settlers oppose this stance, arguing that preventing them from worshipping there is discriminatory. Israeli police allowed 180 settlers to pray inside Al-Aqsa Mosque complex, a move condemned by Palestinians as a serious breach of the status quo. — Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) April 16, 2025 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously said that 'the status quo on the Temple Mount has not changed and will not change', referring to a 1757 Ottoman decree reaffirming a ban on non-Muslims entering Al-Aqsa Mosque and granting Jews the right to pray at the Western Wall. However, in recent years, visits by Jewish settlers to the site have become increasingly routine. Some Israeli government members, such as National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, have openly called for Jewish prayer to be permitted at Al-Aqsa Mosque. The far-right minister has even been filmed entering the complex on several occasions. Some Israeli settlers have called for the construction of a Jewish temple modelled after two temples that once stood on the site – a move that some have said would necessitate the destruction of Al-Aqsa Mosque, one of the three holiest sites in Islam. The Temple Mount Administration, a far-right group advocating for the construction of a temple on the site, said on Tuesday that there had been '3,000 worshippers at the Temple Mount in the first three days of Passover'. ⚡️JUST IN:Today's storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque for the fifth day by Israeli settlers was the largest since the occupation of Ben Gvir welcomed the performance of Talmudic rituals in Al-Aqsa's courtyards, saying such events have not occurred there in 30 years,… — Suppressed News. (@SuppressedNws) April 17, 2025 Bazbaz warned that the division of Al-Aqsa Mosque was increasingly becoming a reality. He compared it to the situation at the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, in the occupied West Bank, which has been divided into a mosque and a synagogue – both under Israeli control. 'Let's use the media phrase for what is happening: apartheid or segregation has become a historical and current reality on the ground,' he said. Bazbaz added that the situation had worsened since the start of the war in Gaza, with Jewish religious practices on Al-Aqsa Mosque being encouraged and even backed by the authorities. 'What happened today was more of a move to cause outrage rather than for religious purposes,' he said.
