Is Israel Planning to Harm Al-Aqsa and Blame Iran?

Amid Israel’s ongoing war on Iran and its continued genocidal campaign against Gaza, an alarming yet under-analysed event has taken place: the closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to worshippers under the pretext of “preventing large gatherings.”

This decision, made at the onset of the Israeli assault on Iran, has not received the attention it warrants due to the global focus on military developments. Yet it carries profound and dangerous implications for Jerusalem, Palestinian sovereignty, and Islamic holy sites.

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A Strategic and Political Move—Not a Security One

The closure is not a reaction to security concerns, as the Netanyahu government claims. Instead, it is a calculated political decision reflecting Israel’s attempt to impose full sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem, treating it as it does Tel Aviv.

This is why no such closures were imposed on mosques in Ramallah, Nablus, or Hebron—areas outside the official bounds of Israeli political control. Instead, the measure was selectively enforced on Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, both located within the Old City, an area recognised internationally as occupied territory.

By enforcing this closure, Israel is reaffirming its claim to absolute sovereignty over these sacred sites, ignoring the status of the Jordanian-administered Islamic Waqf and violating international law.

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Al-Aqsa as a Target of Judaization

Under the current religious Zionist government, Al-Aqsa is increasingly treated as a functioning synagogue, and some fear that an official declaration may soon follow—similar to the 2009 move in which the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron was declared part of Israel’s “Jewish heritage.”

The open performance of Jewish rituals inside Al-Aqsa is part of a long-term campaign to establish a permanent Jewish presence, potentially through a dedicated synagogue, a partitioned courtyard, or a closed-off prayer zone—all plans openly supported by extremist minister Itamar Ben Gvir.

Prime Minister Netanyahu is not removed from these ambitions. Two weeks before the military campaign on Iran, he promised followers of the religious Zionist movement that steps toward building the “Third Temple” had already begun. This earned him unwavering support from that faction—support which has remained silent amid the closure of Al-Aqsa, even though they previously protested any suspension of settler incursions into the mosque.

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Hypocrisy at the Western Wall

Meanwhile, the Western Wall (Al-Buraq Wall)—adjacent to Al-Aqsa—remains open 24/7 for Jewish worshippers. On the same Friday Al-Aqsa was shut down, tens of thousands of Jewish worshippers gathered freely at Al-Buraq Plaza, with no restrictions from the Israeli Interior Ministry.

This double standard is stark. The Israeli government cited “missile threats” as the reason to evacuate Al-Aqsa—but if Al-Buraq Wall, only a few metres away, is safe enough for mass gatherings, then clearly, the closure is not about safety.

Settler groups had already called for massive prayer rallies at Al-Buraq on 16 June to pray for victory in Gaza and Iran. No Israeli official intervened. Instead, Netanyahu appeared to appease the ultra-Orthodox Haredi community, which had nearly toppled his government days earlier, by ensuring their religious activities remained uninterrupted.

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Silencing Al-Aqsa: A Calculated Siege

The closure of Al-Aqsa has gone further than at any point in recent memory, even surpassing restrictions imposed during COVID-19. Only a skeleton staff of mosque guards is permitted inside. At the same time, all other employees of the Islamic Waqf—including those working in adjacent offices—have been banned from entering the compound.

This represents not just a closure, but a complete lockdown and siege reminiscent of the 2017 Al-Asbat Gate uprising, when Israel temporarily closed Al-Aqsa and installed metal detectors at its gates in an attempt to unilaterally change access protocols.

Today, a similar question arises: What new reality is Israel planning to impose on Al-Aqsa once this round of conflict ends and the gates are reopened?

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A Chilling Threat: The “Accidental Strike” Narrative

A disturbing video recently circulated featuring extremist New York-based Haredi rabbi Yosef Mizrachi, who openly called for a missile strike on Al-Aqsa, suggesting it could be blamed on Iran as an accidental hit.

“If it were up to me,” he said, “I’d hit Al-Aqsa with a missile, and just say it was an Iranian mistake.”

This incendiary rhetoric, while outrageous, should not be dismissed as mere fringe rambling. It reflects a dangerous mindset and reveals the potential for a staged provocation, using the chaos of war as cover to inflict irreversible damage on Al-Aqsa—and pin it on Iran.

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The Urgency of Grassroots Protection

These developments demand immediate vigilance from Palestinians in Jerusalem. The risk of a permanent shift in the status of Al-Aqsa is real, and silence could prove catastrophic.

The only effective response is mass mobilisation, popular resistance, and a sustained presence around Al-Aqsa that disrupts Israeli plans and forces the Netanyahu government into a political crisis.

Failure to act now may lead to a reality in which Al-Aqsa is permanently redefined—not just as a military zone under siege, but as a religiously altered space, stripped of its Islamic identity.

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