OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)
The Al-Aqsa Mosque faces an increasing threat with the arrival of the Hebrew “Passover,” as extremist “Temple” groups have announced a large-scale incursion program that will last for four consecutive days, from Monday, April 14, to Thursday, April 17, 2025. This includes participation from prominent religious, political, and academic figures from the Israeli far right.
According to Jerusalem researcher Ziad Ibhais, these incursions are not merely religious or tourist visits; they are part of a clear plan aimed at imposing Jewish religious sovereignty over Al-Aqsa Mosque, gradually transforming it into a site of Torah worship, in a blatant violation of the existing historical and legal status.
Four days of incursions led by extremists
The program begins on Monday, led by a well-known figure within the “Temple groups,” Tommy Nisani, founder of the “Temple Mount in Our Hands” organization, which actively incites incursions into Al-Aqsa and demands the construction of the alleged “Third Temple.” Nisani is known for his violent rhetoric and incitement to change the Islamic reality at Al-Aqsa by force.
The incursions continue on Tuesday, April 15, with the participation of Professor Dan Bahat, a specialist in biblical archaeology, who works to distort the historical narrative of Jerusalem by aligning Islamic and Christian artifacts with biblical myths. On the same day, extremist media activist Arnon Segal, who openly promotes the establishment of a “Torah altar” within Al-Aqsa, joins the incursion. He is known for his posters depicting the extremist minister Itamar Ben Gvir carrying a “sacrifice” in the Mosque’s courtyards.
On Wednesday, the accompanying figure for the incursions is the Zionist orientalist Mordechai Kedar, one of the most controversial figures in both Arab and Israeli circles. Ibhais describes Kedar as “the intellectual architect of the Temple groups,” due to his role in legitimizing their biblical narratives in both Hebrew and Arabic media.
The program concludes on Thursday, April 17, with an incursion led by Moshe Feiglin, a rabbi known for his extremist positions, leader of the “Identity” party, and former deputy speaker of the Knesset. Feiglin always tries to impose a new reality within Al-Aqsa by bringing in biblical tools and performing rituals openly, even seeking to prolong his stay inside the Mosque to accompany multiple groups of invading settlers.
Systematic Judaization and targeting of Islamic identity
Ibhais emphasizes in a press statement that the goal of this intensive program is not only to increase the number of invaders during “Passover” but to solidify their symbolic and moral presence within the Mosque, transforming it—at the level of collective consciousness—into a shared space for different religions, despite its purely Islamic historical and religious nature.
He added that this plan is part of a broader Israeli strategy to change the legal and historical reality of Al-Aqsa, which constitutes a direct violation of international resolutions, especially UNESCO’s decision that has repeatedly affirmed that Al-Aqsa is “a place of worship for Muslims only.”
Jerusalemites on the frontline of defense
In light of this serious escalation, Jerusalemites are at the forefront of defending Al-Aqsa by calling for intensified presence and gathering in its courtyards during the “Passover,” especially since the incursions occur under heavy security protection from Israeli occupation forces and organized media support.
Meanwhile, the official Arab and Islamic silence remains a subject of questioning and criticism, especially given the significant religious and symbolic status of Al-Aqsa for Muslims around the world.
In light of this situation, the most important question arises: Are we waiting until a new reality is imposed at Al-Aqsa Mosque? Or is it time for genuine Arab and Islamic action to put an end to this ongoing threat and preserve the identity of the first Qibla and the third holiest site in Islam?
