Don’t believe Bibi – Israel has already changed the ‘status quo’ at Al-Aqsa

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly stated that his government has no intention of changing the ‘status quo’ at Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, and that claims to the contrary by Palestinians are either mistaken, or acts of deliberate deception.

Let us put aside for now the fact that the Israeli government and Jerusalem municipality fund radical Jewish groups actively dedicated to the ultimate goal of building a ‘Third Temple’ after the physical destruction of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Let us also put aside the fact that there is well-documented support for the demands of right-wing Jewish activists’ amongst Israeli politicians – including cabinet ministers.

Instead, let us look at two particular statistical trends: restrictions on access for Muslim worshippers and the number of visits by Jewish activists to the compound.

According to official data from the Israeli police, the instances of access restrictions to Al-Aqsa Mosque compound for Muslim worshippers shot up in 2014.

In 2012, age restrictions were imposed on Muslim worshippers on just three occasions, a figure that rose to eight in 2013. In 2014, however, Israeli authorities imposed age restrictions for Muslim worshippers on 41 occasions – a five-fold increase from the preceding year.

In addition, Israel closed the compound to all Muslim worshippers and visitors for one day on October 30, 2014, the first such full closure in 14 years.

The data, published four months ago by Emek Shaveh, an organization of archaeologists and community activists, also shows that the most common age restriction was for men under the age of 50, which has occurred 34 times from 2012-2014.

Emek Shaveh note how in 2014, “the Israeli police imposed age restrictions on worshipers 41 times”, which “amounts to nearly 15% of the year.” Thus, the group concludes, “the feeling among Palestinians that Israel is changing the status quo in the area” is actually “backed up by police data.”

Meanwhile, the number of Jews visiting Al-Aqsa Mosque compound has markedly risen over recent years. According to official police statistics, the number of Jewish visitors to the site in 2009 was 5,658 – in 2014, this had almost exactly doubled to 10,906.

Responding to these figures in January, an official from the Temple Institute, a prominent extremist group, said that the trend “demonstrate that the Jewish people are undergoing a spiritual awakening, and reconnecting – not only to their most holy site, but to their own destiny.”

In the words of Emek Shaveh, there is thus “a direct link between rising restrictions on visitors in 2013 and 2014 and increasing attempts by right-wing groups to upset the status quo in the area.”

According to UN OCHA, for “three consecutive weeks” in late August-September, Israeli authorities prevented “all Palestinian women, as well as all men under 50, from entering Al Aqsa Mosque Compound during the morning hours, to secure the entry of settlers and other Israeli groups.”

Writing in Ha’aretz on October 19, former Israeli negotiator Shaul Arieli cited a 2014 report on changes at the compound, which noted “significant changes” to Muslim worshippers’ access to Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, in parallel to the increase in Jewish visitors.

This increase in numbers is accompanied by the presence of Israeli MKs and ministers, some of whom [then-Likud MK Moshe Feiglin and then-Housing Minister Uri Ariel] give media interviews on the Mount and/or authorize Jewish prayer near the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque – actions that were forbidden in the past, but are now taking place under the auspices of the Israel Police.

Netanyahu can claim ‘incitement’ all he wants – the numbers are clear. When it comes to Al-Aqsa, as across the rest of Occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank, Israel has already changed the facts on the ground, and shows no signs of stopping.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.