Palestinians have warned of a plan by extremist settlers to convert the Gate of Mercy, one of the historic gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque, into a Jewish prayer site, amid calls by so-called "Temple Mount" groups for mass incursions into the mosque compound and the imposition of Talmudic rituals in its courtyards during Jewish holidays.
اضافة اعلان
The Jerusalem Governorate warned against attempts by groups advocating for the alleged "Temple" to establish a new Jewish religious foothold near the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, under the protection of Israeli forces and with the backing of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right government.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Governorate said that settler rituals performed at the Bab al-Rahma cemetery, adjacent to the eastern wall of the Al-Aqsa compound, have intensified in recent weeks as part of a systematic campaign that goes beyond seasonal observances and is intended to transform the site into a regular Jewish prayer location.
The Governorate said it had monitored propaganda material published by alleged "Temple" groups on social media, including the creation of a WhatsApp group named "Open the Gates of Mercy for Us." It said the material promotes a Jewish religious narrative that regards the eastern wall of Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the Gate of Mercy in particular, as a site of special sanctity linked to beliefs about the "Temple," "Shekinah" (the Spirit of the Lord), the "awaited Messiah," and the return of "Shekinah." The Governorate said this constitutes an attempt to re-establish the Gate of Mercy as a Jewish religious site open to access and prayer.
The Governorate said the most serious development is the shift from online propaganda to organised activity, specifically through calls for weekly "Slihot" prayers at the site. It linked these actions to Uri Ohayon, a former Israeli army officer who, according to its monitoring, began promoting the initiative on August 16 and organised the first gathering on August 27, followed by two further gatherings on September 3 and September 10. Those gatherings included group prayers, religious rituals, and the blowing of the shofar (a ram's horn) alongside Muslim graves.
The Jerusalem Governorate affirmed that Al-Aqsa Mosque, encompassing an area of 144 dunams (approximately 25 acres), is an exclusively Islamic place of worship, and that its status as an endowment covers all its courtyards, prayer areas, walls, gates, and landmarks. The Gate of Mercy, it said, is one of the mosque's gates and sits within its eastern wall.
The Governorate stressed that Israeli occupation authorities have no sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem or its holy sites, and no right to impose any changes on the identity, character, uses, or features of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
The Governorate warned that allowing these practices to become routine would encourage "Temple"-affiliated groups to expand their activities and convert additional areas around the Al-Aqsa compound into sites for gatherings, rituals, and prayer. It said what is occurring at the Gate of Mercy represents a systematic effort to impose a new Jewish religious reality around the compound, beginning with the normalisation and repetition of rituals before escalating into a permanent presence, with the aim of altering the site's identity and religious character. The Governorate described this as a serious and deliberate violation of the existing historical and legal status quo.
The warning comes alongside calls by groups affiliated with "Temple Mount" organisations urging supporters to take part in large-scale incursions into the Al-Aqsa compound and to carry out new rituals there during Jewish holidays.
Israeli forces deployed in large numbers in occupied Jerusalem to facilitate the entry of settler groups into Al-Aqsa Mosque through the Mughrabi Gate, where they conducted tours and performed Talmudic rituals in the mosque's courtyards. Security measures were tightened across the mosque's surroundings and the Old City.
Israeli authorities also closed roads and imposed movement restrictions on Palestinians across the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem, compounding restrictions on freedom of worship and movement. Settlers, by contrast, were granted access, while Palestinians faced restrictions inside their cities, villages, and towns.
This article was originally written in Arabic by Nadia Saad El-Din for Al Ghad.
