Israel’s dream of ‘Third Temple’ threatens Al-Aqsa

As the Oct. 27 election in Israel draws closer, it has become increasingly common for a new scandal or crisis to emerge, often fueled by the government’s coalition partners.

After Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu apparently realized that he would emerge from the election defeated, stoking the so-called Turkish threat was seemingly not enough to consolidate right-wing, conservative and nationalist support. He has now been joined by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, whose actions and rhetoric appear aimed at altering the status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque.

In fact, Ben-Gvir’s aim at altering the status of Al-Aqsa is not a new phenomenon. Indeed, shortly after becoming the national security minister in the Netanyahu government, he signaled potential developments in the new era by staging a raid on Al-Aqsa alongside his associates. As if it were not enough that he has repeatedly raided Al-Aqsa using his ministerial authority, in 2024, he overstepped his bounds by stating that “they will eventually build a synagogue in the area where Al-Aqsa stands.” Thereby, he paved the way for the rhetoric, now widely circulated, regarding the demolition of Al-Aqsa and the construction of the third Jewish temple in its place.

However, as the election campaign has begun, it has become clear that the race will be extremely challenging. Since right-wing and conservative voters will determine the outcome, rhetoric calling for the construction of a new temple in place of Al-Aqsa has become mainstream. The fact that these narratives, which until just yesterday were considered marginal and could not be openly expressed in public, can now be used with ease is grave. It reflects the even higher shift toward conservatism in Israeli politics and society.

So who are these groups, referred to as “temple movements,” that frequently speak about changing the status of the Al-Aqsa Mosque or demolishing it to build a Jewish temple in its place? What are they doing to achieve their goals? Are these claims merely aimed at the election, or are they part of a long-term plan? Perhaps most importantly, how is the Islamic world responding to this challenge?

Templar goals, methods

According to Jewish historical accounts, the First Temple, also known as the Temple of Solomon, was built by King Solomon in 957 B.C. to house the Ark of the Covenant, the sacred relic of the Jewish people. Considered by Jews to be God’s dwelling place on Earth and a center of worship, this temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.

The Second Temple, built after the destruction of the First Temple, was destroyed by the Romans in A.D. 70. Since that time, Jews have had no temple, and as a result, certain religious rituals cannot be performed. However, certain conditions must be met before a third temple can be built, and prominent Jewish religious leaders consider the construction of a temple before these conditions are met to be a sin.

Some Jewish groups that identify as messianic or Temple-centered movements, including Elad (Ir David), Ateret Cohanim, Beyadanu, the Temple Mount Heritage Foundation, the Western Wall Heritage Foundation and the Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement, claim that the Second Temple is located on the site where the Al-Aqsa Mosque stands today.

These extremist groups, which have had their sights set on the Al-Aqsa almost since the occupation of East Jerusalem in 1967, have tried many methods to achieve their goals. The most striking of these, without a doubt, are the so-called archaeological excavations aimed at hollowing out the foundations of the Al-Aqsa and causing it to collapse on its own. However, despite all their efforts, these Temple-centered movements have failed to succeed.

At the same time, they are attempting to sever Muslims’ sense of belonging by using their political influence to block their access to Al-Aqsa, thereby leaving the site ownerless.

Another tactic employed by extremist groups in recent times has been to escalate the “flag march,” which has been held since 1968 to demonstrate Israel’s sovereignty over occupied East Jerusalem, into actions aimed at damaging the Al-Aqsa compound. In fact, as you may recall, a few years ago, these groups gathered at the Buraq Wall and threw torches into the Al-Aqsa compound, causing trees to catch fire. During this fire, they chanted slogans suggesting that the Al-Aqsa Mosque itself would be burned in the same way.

Throughout all these incidents, Israeli soldiers have also provided support to extremist groups. In fact, despite instructions from religious and political authorities prohibiting Jews from entering Al-Aqsa, they have turned a blind eye to extremist groups storming the compound and conducting so-called Jewish rituals there. Israeli soldiers have even gone so far as to arrest the volunteers protecting the Al-Aqsa Mosque and impose entry bans on them. They have also begun detaining the imams of the Al-Aqsa Mosque on flimsy pretexts and imposing penalties that prevent them from performing their duties for extended periods. However, despite all these obstructive measures, Israel has failed to sever the bond between Muslims and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, nor has it been able to break the Palestinians’ resistance.

Political figures in support

These recent developments remind us of past events.

Jews were banned from entering the Al-Aqsa Mosque in 1967 by Moshe Dayan, then minister of defense, and control of the Al-Aqsa Mosque was transferred to Jordan under the 1994 Wadi Peace Agreement.

However, former Prime Minister of Israel Ariel Sharon raided Al-Aqsa in 2000, causing the Second Intifada to start. Today, the raids on Al-Aqsa by Ben-Gvir, and his statements during these raids, such as “Jews must also be allowed to worship at Al-Aqsa” or “a Jewish temple will be built here,” are interpreted as moves aimed at the same target.

These efforts are not driven solely by the temple-centered movements mentioned above. As one might expect, these movements also enjoy significant political and economic backing. After all, it would be impossible for these movements to act so boldly or continue their activities without political and economic support.

Along with Ben-Gvir, it is known that Moshe Feiglin, a former Likud Knesset member who later founded the Zehut party and continued his political career as an independent, and Rabbi Yehuda Glick, also a former Likud Knesset member, have supported these Temple movements. Another notable figure in this regard is Gershon Salomon, who, despite having once been a staunch secularist, became radicalized after being wounded in a 1958 clash in the Golan Heights and dedicated himself to the construction of the Third Temple. Although Salomon passed away in 2022, the Temple Mount Faithful Foundation, which he founded in 1967, remains active in the region.

As can be seen, the rhetoric is not merely a matter related to the election process. In other words, even if the election passes and Netanyahu and the far-right parties supporting him are ousted from power, the expectations and efforts toward rebuilding the Holy Temple among a certain segment of Israeli society will continue.

Reaction of Muslim world

Al-Aqsa Mosque is the first qibla of Muslims and one of the three holy mosques. It is also believed that Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven from the Dome of the Rock, located in the courtyard of the mosque, which is why it is considered sacred. Therefore, it is unthinkable that the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is considered so important to Muslims, should be left at the mercy of Israel. Moreover, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) was established in 1969 in response to an attempt to burn down the Al-Aqsa Mosque and has made significant contributions to its protection to this day.

However, due to Israel’s recent moves aimed at driving a wedge between Palestinians and other Arabs, there has not been a sufficient response to Israel’s attempts. In particular, the fact that some regional countries have entered into a normalization process with Israel through the Abraham Accords, thereby sidelining the Palestinians, has emboldened Israel and the aforementioned extremist movements, leading them to intensify their efforts.

However, Israel’s genocide in Gaza following Oct. 7, 2023, and its expansion of the occupation by attacking other neighboring countries have led Arab nations to recognize the truth. It can also be said that Türkiye’s resolute stance against any change in the status of the Al-Aqsa Mosque has played a role in this process. Consequently, the Islamic world is more sensitive today to the issue of the Al-Aqsa Mosque than it was yesterday. While this stance has not yet stopped Israel, it has prevented it from acting as freely as it once did.

In direct proportion to the transformations taking place in Israeli society and the trend toward the far-right, attempts to alter the status of the Al-Aqsa Mosque are unacceptable to all Muslim countries, particularly Türkiye. Al-Aqsa Mosque is the honor of the entire Islamic world, and its protection cannot be left solely to the oppressed Palestinians. Muslim countries must act in unison on this issue and prevent Israel from taking any steps in this direction. Otherwise, there will be no Al-Aqsa Mosque left to protect.

DAILYSABAH