Why Al-Aqsa mosque is important in the Israel-Palestine conflict | Explained

The Al-Aqsa Mosque, located in the Old City of Jerusalem, holds immense significance in the Israel-Palestine conflict. Its importance is rooted in both religious and geopolitical dimensions.

But what is the significance of the mosque in the ongoing conflict? Here we explain the history of the mosque that has become the focal point of Israeli-Palestinian tensions.

WHERE IS AL-AQSA MOSQUE SITUATED?

The Al-Aqsa Mosque is situated in the heart of Jerusalem's Old City on a hill known to Jews as Har ha-Bayit, also known as the Temple Mount and al-Haram al-Sharif, or the Noble Sanctuary.

For Muslims, the mosque is the third holiest place in Islam, after Mecca and Medina. Al-Aqsa plaza is the home to two holy places: the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The mosque was built in the 8th century AD.

According to Islamic sources, it is from here that Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven for a night.

Many a time, the Dome of the Rock (a shrine), and Al-Aqsa (a mosque), have been confused as the same. While both lie in the same holy place, they are two distinct buildings with different backgrounds.

The Al-Aqsa mosque's compound overlooks the Western Wall, a sacred place for Jewish prayer. Jews consider the Temple Mount their holiest site, believing that King Solomon built the first temple there 3,000 years ago. The Romans destroyed a second temple at that location in AD 70.

The site is also considered important by Christians because of its association with events in the life of Jesus Christ.

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SIGNIFICANCE OF AL-AQSA MOSQUE IN THE CONFLICT

The Al-Aqsa Mosque is called "the most sensitive site in the Israel-Palestinian conflict" because it's sacred to both Muslims and Jews.

After Israel won the 6-Day war in 1967 and took control of East Jerusalem, where this place is located, there was concern about this site.

Israel officially gave control of the mosque and its area to an Islamic group, but Israeli forces can still go there, and they also allow other religious groups, like Christian pilgrims, to visit.

For many Israelis, this place is incredibly sacred, as it's the holiest site in Judaism.

In 1996, when a new tunnel was opened near the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, Palestinians saw it as a violation of their sacred site. This led to clashes that resulted in over 80 deaths in just three days.

In 2000, Israeli politician Ariel Sharon, who was an opposition leader at the time, led a group of Israeli lawmakers onto the Temple Mount/al-Haram al-Sharif complex.

In 2005, certain religious leaders in Israel advocated that Jewish people should not walk in a special place inside the mosque. They aimed to refrain from entering the holiest section, which they believed to be the place where God lives on Earth.

However, other Jewish religious factions wanted more rights to visit the place, with the aspiration of controlling it. They aspired to reconstruct an old temple that once stood there, sparking considerable controversy and debate.

In 2014, tensions reached a critical point in the autumn following an assault on Yehuda Glick, a right-wing rabbi. In response, Israeli officials took the unprecedented step of closing access to Al-Aqsa, a move not seen since 1967.

In March and April of the same year, Israeli police deployed tear gas and stun grenades against Palestinians within Al-Aqsa, resulting in international condemnation.

This provoked Palestinian protests, which quickly turned into violent clashes and marked the beginning of the second Palestinian uprising, also known as the al-Aqsa Intifada.

In 2021, clashes at the site played a role in triggering a 10-day war with Gaza.

In the first week of April 2023, there were sudden and unprovoked attacks on Palestinian people who were praying at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. This caused anger among Muslims in the region and people from neighboring Arab countries criticized these attacks.

More recently, on September 17, 2023, Israeli settlers went into the mosque area to pray. At the same time, the security forces attacked Palestinian people who were trying to enter the mosque through one of the main entrances, named Bab as-Silsila.

Then, on October 7, 2023, Hamas militants launched a large-scale surprise attack against Israel, firing a barrage of rockets from the Gaza Strip. The militants launched around 5,000 rockets from Gaza to Israel, and, in addition, Hamas fighters have reportedly captured several Israeli soldiers and civilians.

The attack was named Operation Al-Aqsa Flood by Hamas and meant to avenge Israel's high-handedness at the mosque site.

As the situation escalated, the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, shared a video stating, "We are in a war, and we will win," and the enemy would have to pay a price. The Israeli army declared 'Operation Iron Swords' against Hamas militants and the Air Force has launched an attack with dozens of fighter jets targeting the Palestinian militant outfit Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The overall death toll in the Israel-Hamas war has crossed 3,000.