Monitor warns Israel 'steadily taking control' of Al-Aqsa as violations escalate

A new report by an Israeli monitor accuses Israel's government of directly violating the status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque, warning that its continued control constitutes a dangerous escalation.

The status quo is defined by a set of rules and regulations considered a binding international norm and long recognised by world powers. It designates Al-Aqsa Mosque as an exclusively Islamic site, where only Muslims are permitted to worship.

According to the latest findings by the Ir Amim Association, Israeli authorities are increasingly asserting control over the compound, threatening instability.

The report notes that the government particularly exploits Jewish holidays to increase Jewish presence in the area, while also violating the rights of Muslims at the site.

Incursions into the mosque complex by Israeli forces have become nearly daily, with a marked surge during Jewish and national holidays.

Aviv Tatarsky, a researcher at Ir Amim, told Middle East Eye that Jewish prayers on Temple Mount  goes "hand in hand with the exclusion of Muslims".

'Under the guise of religious Jewish connection, Israel is steadily taking control of the holy site'

- Aviv Tatarsky, researcher at Ir Amim

Named after the Jewish term for the raised plateau Al-Aqsa Mosque stands on, Temple Mount is where some Israeli groups advocate for the destruction of the mosque to build a third Jewish temple in its place. 

"Under the guise of religious Jewish connection, Israel is steadily taking control of the holy site," Tatarsky added, warning that the government's decisions and actions threaten the stability of the Old City and country as a whole.

The researcher said that during the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, beginning 7 October, thousands of Israelis, accompanied by police, are expected to enter Al-Aqsa Mosque, "creating a potential flashpoint".

"Immediate steps must be taken to safeguard Muslim freedom of worship and prevent escalation," Tatarsky said. 

Violations of status quo

The report records an unprecedented rise in the number of participants in Jewish raids of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Aouni Bazbaz, director of international affairs at the Islamic Waqf, the body that administers Al-Aqsa, told MEE that the situation on the ground is "worse than what was mentioned in the report".

Under the established norms, control of the mosque - including maintenance, security, and excavations - remains the sole responsibility of the Islamic Waqf.

The Waqf’s authority, which operates under Jordanian custodianship, was formally recognised by Israel in the 1994 peace treaty with Amman.

The report, however, highlights Israel’s growing disregard for Jordan’s role as guardian, particularly in recent months.

Violations of Muslims’ freedom of worship also continue, including age restrictions, arbitrary entry denials, the expulsion of Palestinian worshippers and activists, and obstruction of Waqf restoration and maintenance work.

Bazbaz said there is a "major media blackout" surrounding the events at Al-Aqsa. "No one is allowed to publish anything," he added.

"Even we, as Palestinian guards at Al-Aqsa, are not allowed to approach the settlers and have no real information about what happens during the incursions."

He noted that 36 guards have been barred from entering the mosque, while six additional workers have been detained.

Meanwhile, six imams have been prohibited from entering or delivering sermons.

Ghost town

The Ir Amim findings highlight significant political coordination, with far-right ministers and leaders leading and abetting violations without objection from Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.

Bazbaz said government breaches have escalated since the genocide in Gaza began, with the instability allowing authorities to "push through whatever they want".

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"The Old City of Jerusalem has turned into a ghost town," he said. "All attention is on Gaza, while the situation here is forgotten. They are using the strategy of directing the spotlight on one place while committing serious violations elsewhere."

He added that restrictions on Palestinians - including warnings, bans, and arrests - make them feel as though they are under "military rule, not political governance".

"Anyone whom Israel suspects might speak out is immediately neutralised."

Israeli bans have affected a wide range of people, including imams, journalists, activists, and ordinary worshippers, raising Palestinian concerns about growing Israeli control over the mosque.

Once accommodating hundreds of thousands and regularly drawing tens of thousands for Friday prayers, Al-Aqsa now sees only a few thousand on Fridays and just hundreds for daily prayers.

"In other words, [Israeli] control over Al-Aqsa Mosque has unfortunately become a reality," Bazbaz said.