The Israeli occupation has intensified its assault on Jerusalem’s Islamic and cultural identity by digging new tunnels beneath the holy city, directly threatening Al-Aqsa Mosque and its surrounding neighbourhoods. In a highly symbolic move, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently inaugurated a settler-driven tunnel project in occupied Jerusalem.
According to Netanyahu’s office, the new tunnel — dug under the supervision of the extremist settler organisation Elad — connects the Palestinian neighbourhood of Silwan to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. During the opening ceremony, Netanyahu, his wife Sara, Rubio, and his wife Jeanette participated in what the occupation called the “Pilgrim’s Road,” a name deliberately tied to Zionist claims over so-called biblical prophecy.
Netanyahu’s Biblical Claims and Rubio’s Support
Speaking at the inauguration, Netanyahu openly linked the tunnel to Torah prophecies, declaring:
“This is a historic and cultural event for the Jewish people. This visit proves that Jerusalem belongs to us, that it will never be divided, and that there will never be a Palestinian state. Any unilateral measure will be met with a unilateral response.”
Rubio, for his part, echoed the same colonial narrative, posting on X:
“The Pilgrim’s Road is a deep cultural and historical link between the United States and Israel. It is a strong reminder of the Judeo-Christian values that inspired America’s Founding Fathers.”
600 Meters of Provocation, Funded by Millions
Israeli left-wing group Peace Now reported that the tunnel stretches 600 meters from the southern edge of Wadi Hilweh in Silwan, running beneath Palestinian homes, passing under Jerusalem’s Old City walls, and ending near the foundations of the Western Wall — just a few meters from Al-Aqsa.
The project, executed by the Israel Antiquities Authority on behalf of Elad, cost nearly 50 million shekels (USD 15 million) in government funding. Excavations revealed an ancient Roman road from the first century CE, which Elad branded as the “Pilgrim’s Road.”
Peace Now condemned Rubio’s visit as an American endorsement of Israeli sovereignty over the most sensitive parts of Jerusalem’s Holy Basin — a blatant contradiction of Washington’s supposed position since 1967. The group warned that the tunnels are a grave violation of Jerusalem’s sacred character and a direct danger to Al-Aqsa’s structural foundations.
The project also has the blessing of the current U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, known for his unwavering Christian Zionist ideology.
Excavation Myths and Aggression Against Al-Aqsa
Since 1967, Israel has used “archaeology” as a pretext for its systematic Judaization of Jerusalem. That same year, following the occupation of Al-Aqsa, the historic Maghariba (Moroccan) Quarter beside the Western Wall was demolished to clear space for settler control and turn Bab al-Maghariba into a main gate for occupation forces.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Israeli authorities expanded excavations, often halting only under international pressure. In 1981, digs reached 100 meters into Al-Aqsa’s foundations at the Qaitbay Fountain, sparking mass Palestinian protests and violent clashes.
By the 2000s, these excavations triggered severe structural damage, including the collapse of part of the path to Bab al-Maghariba in 2004. In 2005, Israel turned one of the tunnels into the so-called “Chain of Generations Center,” a propaganda site glorifying Zionist history.
Since 2007, occupation authorities and settler organisations have even broadcast live footage of their excavations online, openly flaunting what was once done in secrecy.
The Alarming Numbers
According to Al-Quds International Institution, by 2017 there were 64 excavation sites and tunnels around Al-Aqsa, some stretching hundreds of meters under the mosque and the Silwan neighbourhood.
Reports from the Wadi Hilweh Information Center show that tunneling has continued for over 13 years, causing widespread ground collapses, cracks, and structural damage. More than 80 Palestinian homes have been partially damaged, while at least five houses were declared “dangerous” by the occupation municipality due to compromised foundations.
These tunnels are carving out an underground city beneath Jerusalem — isolating Palestinian neighbourhoods, weakening Al-Aqsa’s structural integrity, and erasing centuries of Islamic history. Meanwhile, extremist settler groups profit by turning sites like “City of David” into tourist attractions drawing over a million visitors annually and generating millions of dollars in revenue.
Prophecy, Evangelicals, and Political Zionism
The excavations are not merely archaeological; they serve a messianic agenda. Extremist rabbis and organisations such as the Temple Mount Institute interpret texts from the Book of Daniel and Ezekiel as divine commands to rebuild a so-called “Third Temple” — a prerequisite, in their belief, for the coming of the Messiah.
These narratives are heavily promoted by Zionist settler groups in Jerusalem through projects like “Torah gardens” in Silwan, designed to replace Palestinian heritage with Jewish symbolism.
Evangelical organisations in the United States, particularly Christians United for Israel (CUFI) and the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem (ICEJ), play a central role in financing these projects. According to Haaretz, Evangelicals raised over USD 65 million by 2018 for archaeological and settlement schemes in occupied Jerusalem.
Breach of International Law
These activities stand in direct violation of international law, including the 1954 Hague Convention and multiple UNESCO resolutions — notably Resolution 26/2016, which reaffirms the exclusively Islamic character of Al-Aqsa Mosque and its surrounding holy sites.
Despite repeated condemnations by UNESCO, the Palestinian Authority, the Arab League, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Israel continues unabated. The presence of America’s top diplomat at the inauguration of such a project exposes Washington’s complicity in undermining Palestinian rights and desecrating one of Islam’s holiest sites.
Conclusion: Al-Aqsa in Peril
The Israeli occupation is waging a silent but destructive war against Jerusalem’s heritage through underground tunnels and falsified history. These projects aim not only to undermine the foundations of Al-Aqsa Mosque but also to sever Palestinian communities, strengthen Zionist control, and pave the way for extremist religious agendas.
As Israel accelerates its excavations under international cover, the duty falls on Muslims and the global community to defend Al-Aqsa, Jerusalem, and the Palestinian people from an unfolding cultural and religious erasure.
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