Contested Ground: Daily Struggle for Dominance Over Al-Aqsa Mosque

article title: Gate of Mercy: A divided sanctuary in Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque compound

Palestinians continue their struggle for a greater presence at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, the city's spiritual heartland, amidst the intensified military presence of Israeli occupation forces, especially in the Muslim holy site's smaller mosques like the Bab Al-Rahma Mosque, famously known as the 'Gate of Mercy'. Many overlook the historical significance of these sanctuaries.

Bab Al-Rahma Mosque, nestled on the eastern wall of the Al-Aqsa compound, started as a gate connecting outside, teeming with commerce and trade. Sealed during the reign of Salah Al-Din in 1187 AD, it evolved into a mosque. Salah Al-Din, who recaptured Jerusalem from the Crusaders, deliberately sealed the gate to channel trade through the main entrance while enhancing the compound's security against potential invasions.

Israeli occupation authorities have closed the mosque since 2003, citing political activities led by members of the Islamic Movement's Northern Branch within the site—an allegation vehemently denied by the Jordanian Waqf, who take responsibility for administering and safeguarding the entirety of the Al-Aqsa compound according to international law. Yet, in 2019, Palestinian youth successfully broke the chains securing the door, reopening the mosque for religious activities.

Since then, the mosque has become a battlefield for influence, with consistent attacks, intimidation, and disregard for international laws plaguing the eastern section of the Al-Aqsa compound. Imam M.S., a Palestinian cleric who requested anonymity, observed, "They close it for reasons. They say that this is a place where illegal things happened, so they stopped it from 2003, and they keep it like this till February 2019."

"They put chains. No one can enter. After this, the young men broke this chain and opened it and changed it into a place to pray. It wasn't like this before." The mosque served as an administrative center, a space for Quranic studies, and community meals pre-2003. Israeli troops habitually enter the site on a daily basis in their boots, taking snapshots of the events inside.

The entirety of the Al-Aqsa compound is overseen by the Jordanian Waqf per international law, which forbids Israel from attempting to control segments of the compound. Nonetheless, Israel's violations of these agreements continue to be brushed off by international law guardians. In 2019, Sheikh Abdel-Azeem Salhab, head of the Waqf, and his deputy were arrested after collaborating with Palestinians during prayers at the Bab Al-Rahma Mosque.

Fear of Israeli backlash prevents the Jordanian Waqf from providing funds for fixing and improving the Mosque. Crowdfunding has become the primary source of funding, with local Palestinians striving to maintain the area, while Israeli military forces persist in disrupting repair and improvement efforts.

"Whenever any change takes place, any maintenance, fixing the electricity, the speakers, anything, they [occupation forces] destroy it," M.S. explains.

"They say nothing should happen except with their permission and they don't give permission for that, even to clean the carpet, to clean the yards outside, if they catch anyone doing anything, they get him and take him out of the mosque."

In 2021, Israeli forces raided Al-Qibli Mosque, causing damage to the speaker system, silencing the calls to prayer across the compound. Dr. Aziz, a visitor of the Al-Aqsa compound, noted, "There were police officers or Israeli soldiers coming in every night [...] they took pictures of the electrical panel box in Bab Al-Rahma."

"From what I gathered in Bab Al-Rahma the occupation would constantly cut the electrical wires, the speaker wires," he explained. Even the barrier separating the men's and women's areas was removed. The mosque remains central in the battle for influence between Palestinians attempting to preserve their rights under international law and Israeli forces and far-right activists working to undermine these foundations.

Israeli settlers communicate their desire to ascend to the compound and pray at the Muslim site, with influential members of the current coalition government even seen doing so on occasions. Far-right groups claim their ascension to the compound and religious activities within it are essentialsteps in establishing Israeli control over it, ultimately leading to the construction of the 'Third Temple' on Al-Aqsa's ruins.

Imam M.S. fears that if Muslims do not maintain a continuous presence in the mosque, Israeli forces may seize it and convert it into a synagogue "to appease" far-right elements. Israeli NGO Ir Amim indicates that Israeli police appear to be working with temple activists to enable Jewish worship at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

As genocide in Gaza began, Occupation forces have escalated their efforts to prevent Muslims from accessing Bab Al-Rahma Mosque, imposing emergency laws to arrest and intimidate Muslims entering the area. Despite the mounting challenges, Palestinians persist in their efforts to preserve and protect Bab Al-Rahma and the Al-Aqsa compound's other sanctuaries.

The Palestinians' fight for a greater presence at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, known as the city's spiritual heartland, faces an exclusive attack from Israeli occupation forces, especially in smaller mosques like the Bab Al-Rahma Mosque, also recognized as the 'Gate of Mercy'.
The UN, human rights activists, and international news outlets have published numerous reports critical of the Israel government's rights violations in the Middle East, particularly regarding the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.
The Palestinian youth's successful efforts to reopen Bab Al-Rahma Mosque in 2019 brought renewed attention to the struggle for religious freedom and preservation of historical sites in Jerusalem.
The Bab Al-Rahma Mosque, located on the eastern wall of the Al-Aqsa compound, had initially served as a gate for commerce and trade before being sealed during the reign of Salah Al-Din in 1187 AD and later evolving into a mosque.
The Israeli occupation authorities' closure of Bab Al-Rahma Mosque since 2003 has been met with resistance and accusations of curtailing Palestinian rights, a claim vehemently denied by the Jordanian Waqf.
The Bab Al-Rahma Mosque has become a epicenter of political tension, with the Israeli military and far-right activists constantly exposing themselves to the area, attempting to assert control over it.
In 2019, Sheikh Abdel-Azeem Salhab, head of the Jordanian Waqf, and his deputy were arrested while collaborating with Palestinians during prayers at Bab Al-Rahma Mosque, triggering international concern.
Crowdfunding has become the primary means of funding repairs and improvements for Bab Al-Rahma Mosque due to the fear of Israeli backlash causing the Jordanian Waqf to favor more discreet financial support.
Israeli forces have systematically disrupted repair and improvement efforts on Bab Al-Rahma Mosque, damaging the speaker system, cutting electrical wires, removing barriers, and arresting and intimidating those working on the site.
Far-right Israeli settlers seek to ascend to the Al-Aqsa compound and pray at the Muslim site, supported by some coalition government members who nose aside international law.
As the conflict in Gaza escalates, Israeli occupation forces have intensified their efforts to prevent Muslims from accessing and maintaining the Bab Al-Rahma Mosque, a desperate attempt to seize control of the historic site and further their political agenda.