Israeli Occupation Moves to Judaize al-Aqsa’s Bab al-Silsila Gate Area: Report

IQNA – The Israeli regime’s latest move to Judaize the Bab al-Silsila (Chain Gate) area near al-Aqsa Mosque has sparked concern among Palestinian officials, who warn that the plan is part of a wider attempt to reshape the identity of occupied al-Quds and impose full Israeli control over its Old City.

The Bab al-Silsila gate is one of the most important entrances to the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, which is Islam’s third holiest site. The mosque is located in East al-Quds, which has been under Israeli occupation since 1967. International law considers East al-Quds occupied territory, and Israeli settlement and annexation policies there have been repeatedly condemned by the United Nations.

According to a report by Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, Israeli authorities have begun steps to confiscate Palestinian properties in the Bab al-Silsila neighborhood—adjacent to al-Aqsa. The plan reportedly aims to convert the area into a closed settler corridor, enabling easier access for Jewish settlers to the mosque while further restricting Palestinian presence.

The plan reportedly targets homes and commercial properties on a main road leading directly to al-Aqsa Mosque. While no official list of affected properties or owners has been released, it is confirmed that the properties belong to Palestinian families.

“This is a direct threat to the religious and historical identity of the area,” said Ma’rouf al-Rifaei, media advisor to the Governorate of al-Quds.

He noted that the original seizure orders date back to 1968, under the pretext of “requisition,” when the Jewish Quarter spanned just five dunams (approx. 1.2 acres). Over the decades, Israeli authorities have expanded it to 130 dunams.

“Since 2007, Israeli officials have systematically removed Palestinian owners from these properties, transferring them to so-called ‘state ownership,’” al-Rifaei added.

This classification paves the way for transferring ownership to settler organizations. “The goal,” he said, “is to transform Bab al-Silsila into a fully Jewish zone.”

He warned that recent moves revive those decades-old confiscation orders and further complicate any future legal challenge by Palestinians.

“Despite the difficulty, we must pursue every legal and diplomatic avenue,” al-Rifaei urged, stressing that many of the affected properties are legally registered as Islamic endowments (waqf) and remain in the hands of long-established Palestinian families.

Al-Rifaei described the policy as part of a broader Judaization strategy meant to erase Palestinian presence and reshape al-Quds’ cultural and religious landscape—a strategy he believes is now entering a more aggressive phase.

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