Israeli parliament discusses bill to divide access to Al-Aqsa Mosque

Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, is discussing a bill submitted by right-winger Aryeh Eldad to split Al-Aqsa Mosque for use by both Muslims and Jews. A similar arrangement has been imposed on the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron for many years.

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The draft bill suggests that Jews should be able to visit the sanctuary yards of Al-Aqsa Mosque to perform Talmudic rituals according to a certain schedule. Access on week days will be divided between Muslims and Jews; followers of one faith won’t be able to enter when it is the other group’s allocated time.

Likud Knesset member Zeev Elkin said a couple of days ago that he would propose the same sort of timetable to allow Jews to enter Al-Aqsa on certain days during which Muslims will not be allowed to go into their own mosque.