OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)
In a context that goes beyond security concerns to reshape the religious and political reality in Occupied Jerusalem, Israeli authorities have continued to close Aqsa Mosque for the 32nd consecutive day, preventing worshippers from accessing the site.
This prolonged closure, the longest in decades, has been accompanied by strict isolation measures imposed on the Old City ahead of the Jewish holiday of Passover. The holiday is a key moment for extremist religious groups seeking to impose new realities at Aqsa Mosque.
The closure comes amid a heavy deployment of Israeli forces and the establishment of military checkpoints restricting Palestinians’ entry into the Old City, allowing only residents to pass. This move deepens the policy of spatial and religious segregation in Occupied Jerusalem.
As preparations for Passover intensify, Israeli settlers performed Talmudic rituals inside the Bab al-Rahma cemetery, adjacent to Aqsa, under tight Israeli security protection. At the same time, calls from Temple-affiliated groups are growing for large-scale incursions into the Mosque compound during the holiday, which runs from April 2 to April 9.
Passover is one of the most significant Jewish religious holidays, commemorating the biblical Exodus from Egypt. It is traditionally associated with the “Passover sacrifice,” a ritual said to have been performed in the ancient Temple, according to religious narratives. This has driven Temple groups to intensify efforts to revive such rituals within Aqsa.
In recent years, this issue has become a major flashpoint, as these groups attempt to bring animal sacrifices into the Mosque compound and carry them out there, a move paving the way for the temporal and spatial division of the site, similar to what occurred at the Ibrahimi Mosque in al-Khalil.
These organizations have also offered financial incentives to settlers who succeed in performing such rituals, aiming to pressure Israeli police to alter current arrangements and permit open Talmudic practices in the compound.
In parallel, discourse surrounding the “Red Heifers”, a biblical concept used to justify purification rituals linked to rebuilding the Temple, has gained traction. Extremist religious groups promote the breeding of “pure red cows” for use in such rites, a prerequisite, in their view, for constructing the Temple. Recent months have seen increased attention to importing and raising such cattle under strict religious criteria.
These developments intersect with broader on-the-ground moves, including plans to allow rabbis to hold group prayers at the Western Wall plaza during the holiday under regulated conditions, reflecting efforts to expand organized Jewish religious presence around Aqsa.
Meanwhile, Israeli authorities continue to enforce a full closure of Aqsa Mosque, preventing prayers there for a second consecutive month. The restrictions have also extended to Christian holy sites, with the Church of the Holy Sepulchre remaining closed to worshippers and visitors, highlighting a broader policy aimed at reshaping the religious landscape of the city.
Israeli police have informed the Islamic Waqf of their decision to extend the closure of Aqsa until mid-April. Jerusalem-based institutions, including the International Jerusalem Foundation, view this as part of a gradual process to impose Israeli sovereignty over the mosque and place it under direct security control.
This escalation carries added significance as it coincides with ongoing regional tensions. Palestinians were largely prevented from praying at Aqsa throughout Ramadan, including during Eid al-Fitr prayers, an unprecedented development reflecting the scale of transformation underway in the city.
On Monday evening, Israeli settlers stormed Bab al-Rahma cemetery in Occupied Jerusalem and performed Talmudic rituals under the protection of Israeli forces in a new escalation targeting Islamic holy sites.
According to the Jerusalem Governorate, a group of settlers entered the cemetery and carried out religious rituals amid heavy security measures.
The governorate noted that Bab al-Rahma cemetery has been subjected to repeated attacks by settlers as part of ongoing efforts to seize control and impose new realities on the ground. It also pointed to excavation works carried out by Israeli authorities in preparation for Judaization projects, including plans to establish a cable car station near the Old City.
Bab al-Rahma cemetery is one of the most prominent Islamic cemeteries in Occupied Jerusalem, covering approximately 23 dunams. It contains the graves of several companions of the Prophet, including Ubadah ibn al-Samit and Shaddad ibn Aws, as well as fighters who participated in the city’s conquest during the early Islamic and Ayyubid periods.
In this context, Israeli authorities are also moving forward with plans to convert parts of the cemetery into a “biblical park,” as part of broader efforts to alter the city’s historical and religious character.
