Jerusalem: A fresh controversy has emerged over Al-Aqsa Mosque after several ministers and members of Israel’s ruling Likud Party called for expanding Jewish presence and prayer inside the mosque compound. Some leaders also demanded restricting Muslim access to the site, reigniting debate over the current status quo at one of the region’s most sensitive religious landmarks.
The statements were made during a conference organized by the so-called Temple Mount Administration in Jerusalem. The event was held to mark what organizers described as a decade of “positive transformation” at the site and 59 years since its occupation.
According to reports, the conference was chaired by Rabbi Shimshon Elboim and attended by Energy Minister Eli Cohen, Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman, and several Likud members of the Knesset.
Deputy Knesset Speaker Nissim Vaturi called for closing Al-Aqsa Mosque to Arabs, saying that until Jews are able to visit the site freely on a daily basis, no one else should be allowed access.
Participants at the conference also urged further expansion of Jewish visits and prayer inside the mosque compound while reviewing what they described as changes in the status of Jews at the site in recent years.
Energy Minister Eli Cohen claimed that more than 60,000 Jews pray annually in the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque. He also said that he had personally led a group into the compound and offered prayers there.
Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman praised the work of the Temple Mount Administration, while Likud Knesset member Boaz Bismuth said, “The entire people of Israel will walk behind you to the Temple Mount.”
Another Likud lawmaker, Moshe Saada, claimed that restrictions on Jewish visits during Islamic holidays are not based on recommendations from the security services but stem from the Legal Advisor and those associated with her.
Al-Aqsa Mosque, referred to by Jewish groups as the Temple Mount, continues to witness regular visits by settlers and Jewish groups under the protection of Israeli security forces. According to the report, 26 such incursions into the mosque compound were recorded during June alone.
Meanwhile, Palestinian activists continue to call on people to visit Al-Aqsa Mosque in large numbers and oppose any attempts to impose changes inside the holy site. The latest statements and demands are expected to further intensify tensions surrounding the mosque and its longstanding status quo.