Jerusalem Warns of New Israeli Law Threatening Al-Aqsa Mosque
The Jerusalem Governorate warned of the serious risks posed by a new Israeli law approved by the Knesset on Wednesday in a preliminary reading. The law criminalizes so-called “interference with religious practices in public spaces,” and its application to the Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyards constitutes a direct and grave threat to the historic and legal status of the site.
The governorate emphasized that classifying the Al-Aqsa courtyards as a “public space” under this law paves the way for a dangerous change in reality, as the mosque is a strictly Islamic place of worship for Muslims alone, undermining the internationally recognized status quo.
Establishing a New Reality in Al-Aqsa
According to The Times of Israel, the Knesset voted 49 in favor versus 35 against a bill titled “Realizing Jewish Identity in Public Spaces”, which its promoters claim aims to guarantee freedom of expression of Jewish religious identity and legally protect Jewish rituals in public spaces.
The governorate stated that the law’s danger lies in its potential use to establish a new reality in Al-Aqsa courtyards by preventing the guards or any competent authority from fulfilling their duties in confronting non-Islamic religious practices, under the pretext that such practices are “legally protected” in a “public space.”
Violation of International Law
The governorate stressed that the entire 144-dunum area of Al-Aqsa Mosque is a strictly Islamic endowment and must not be subjected to any Israeli legislation or considered a public space under Israeli laws. Any attempt to apply this law constitutes a flagrant violation of international law, UN resolutions, and agreements protecting holy sites.
Warning of Escalation
Enforcing the law could criminalize the actions of Al-Aqsa guards and the Islamic Waqf, including preventing incursions or public Talmudic rituals within the courtyards, potentially leading to serious escalation and deliberate provocations.
Jerusalem called on the international community, the UN, UNESCO, and Arab and Islamic countries to assume their legal and moral responsibilities and urgently intervene to halt any Israeli legislation or actions affecting Al-Aqsa or altering its historic and legal status.
