This week, Amit Halevi, a prominent member of the Israeli Knesset, proposed that Israel divide and seize control of the majority of Al-Aqsa Sanctuary. This dangerous escalation comes on the back of increased Israeli incursions and repeated attacks on worshippers at Al-Aqsa.

In an interview to an Israeli news outlet, Halevi called for Al-Aqsa to be split into two parts: one for Jews and one for Muslims. Under Halevi’s proposal, the iconic golden-domed Dome of the Rock would fall under Israeli control, as would the majority of Al-Aqsa Sanctuary. Halevi stated: “the entire mountain is sacred to us, and the Dome of the Rock is the place on which the Temple stood. This should be our guideline”. He added “[this] will be a historical, religious and national statement”.

Halevi is part of the Temple Mount movement, a growing ideology in Israel to destroy Al-Aqsa and build a Jewish temple in its place. The movement had previously been on the fringes of Israeli society, but it is now receiving mainstream support from members of the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset. This includes members like Halevi and Itamar Ben-Gvir.

Halevi also advocated for Israelis to have increased access to Al-Aqsa, facilitating more incursions into the sacred site. There has been a disturbing rise in Israeli incursions in the last few years. 2022 witnessed a record-breaking figure of 48,000 Israelis and in the first five months of this year, over 22,000 Israeli settlers encroached upon Al-Aqsa. These figures highlight the urgent need for action to address the ongoing Israeli threat.
“The severity of the Israeli threat to Al-Aqsa cannot be overstated” says Dr Ismail Patel, founder and chair of FOA. “This latest proposal to divide and seize control of Al-Aqsa is an ominous step in Israel's mission to seize control of the sacred site. We must raise our voices and urgently appeal to our MPs to defend the holy compound. The future of Al-Aqsa depends on our collective action”.
Israel has been targeting Al-Aqsa for takeover for many decades. Following Israel’s illegal occupation of East Jerusalem in 1967, it has consistently imposed restrictions on Palestinian access to the holy compound, severely undermining Palestinians’ right to worship. The apartheid state has also conducted extensive tunnelling operations underneath Al-Aqsa, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Use FOA’s template email tool now to contact your MP, urging them to call for sanctions on Israel in response to its ongoing threat to Al-Aqsa Sanctuary.