Israeli government to fund settler storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque

For the first time, the Israeli government will finance the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque by illegal Israeli settlers in occupied East Jerusalem, according to local media reports on Monday evening.

The Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported that the office of Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu, an extremist known for his anti-Palestinian stance, will allocate 2 million Israeli new shekel ($545,000) for the project, which is expected to be carried out in the coming weeks.

KAN added that the Heritage Ministry is coordinating with the National Security Ministry, led by extremist Itamar Ben-Gvir, to obtain Israeli police permission for these funded tours to Al-Aqsa.

Earlier on Monday, Ben-Gvir stated on Israeli Army Radio that his policy is to “allow Jews to perform prayers inside the Temple Mount,” referring to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, noting that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was aware of his policy before forming the coalition government.

This announcement comes despite Netanyahu’s repeated claims that he intends to preserve the status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Controversy over Al-Aqsa’s status quo

The status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque refers to the arrangement that existed before Israel occupied East Jerusalem in 1967, under which the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf, affiliated with the Jordanian Ministry of Endowments, manages the mosque’s affairs.

However, in 2003, Israeli authorities altered this status by allowing settlers to enter the mosque without the approval of the Islamic Waqf, which has consistently demanded an end to these incursions.

On Monday, Ben-Gvir also claimed that Jews have the right to pray at the site and expressed his intention to build a synagogue at the site, a move he has hinted at in recent months amid repeated incursions by settlers under police protection.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site in Islam, while Jews refer to the area as the Temple Mount, believing it to be the location of two ancient Jewish temples.