Jerusalem: The Palestinian Jerusalem Governorate has alleged that Israel is carrying out hidden excavations beneath the Al-Aqsa Mosque, endangering Islamic antiquities and the site’s historical fabric.
In a statement posted on Facebook on August 31, the governorate said leaked footage showed “illegal digging and demolition operations” under the compound. It claimed the work targets Umayyad-era remains from the 7th and 8th centuries, which are considered proof of the mosque’s Islamic heritage.
According to the statement, the operations are designed to erase archaeological landmarks, destabilise the mosque, and reinforce claims that a temple once stood on the site. The governorate described the activity as “a crime against history and humanity,” accusing Israel of attempting to impose new realities to serve settlement expansion and Judaisation plans.
It warned that the removal of relics is a direct assault on human civilisation and a violation of international conventions protecting cultural property. The statement called on UNESCO and the United Nations to act swiftly to halt the excavations.
Although the precise location was not disclosed, Israel has long faced accusations of tunnelling under Al-Aqsa. Oversight of the mosque and other sacred sites legally rests with the Jordanian-administered Jerusalem Endowments Department, recognised internationally.
The revelations came days after Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich was quoted by Hebrew media as offering financial incentives to Jerusalem’s mayor to build a temple in place of Al-Aqsa. His remarks were condemned as further evidence of changing policy towards the compound.
Israel has occupied East Jerusalem since 1967 and annexed it in 1980, a move rejected worldwide. Since 2003, groups of extremists have been allowed entry into Al-Aqsa under police protection, escalating tensions.
The accusations emerge against the backdrop of Israel’s war on Gaza and intensifying raids in the West Bank. Palestinian officials report more than 63,000 deaths in Gaza since October 7, 2023, alongside mass displacement, famine, and widespread destruction.
