Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque and Solomon's Temple: The epicenter of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Report by Yazbek Wehbe, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

The Al-Aqsa Mosque, a sacred site for Muslims, lies at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Why is it deeply intertwined with historical and religious narratives?

According to the Jewish narrative, a great temple, known as Solomon's Temple, was constructed in Jerusalem in the 10th century BC to house the Tablets of the Ten Commandments. This temple, believed to have been built by the Prophet Solomon, was destroyed and burned multiple times throughout history, notably in 70 AD, leaving no trace behind. 

The quest to locate and rebuild Solomon's Temple only gained momentum in the 19th century, with the belief that its original location was beneath the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

Zionist extremists assert that the temple's location coincides precisely with that of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. 

However, Muslim historians argue that Al-Aqsa, the third holiest site in Islam after the Kaaba in Mecca and the Prophet's Mosque in Medina, was established more than a thousand years before Solomon as a place of worship by an earlier prophet and later evolved into the Al-Aqsa Mosque today. 

Jews continue to insist that the last remnant of Solomon's Temple is the Western Wall of the mosque, which they refer to as the Wailing Wall. They believe it is part of the original structure. 

Since 1967, Israeli authorities have conducted extensive excavations beneath the Al-Aqsa compound, a practice that has angered Muslims. 

Despite these excavations, no evidence has been found suggesting that Solomon's Temple existed at this site.

Nonetheless, Israel continues to protect the actions of Jewish extremists who frequently carry out incursions into the mosque compound.

The Israeli military currently controls access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, though its administration remains under the authority of the Islamic Waqf, the Jordanian-appointed organization responsible.