Card 1. What is the memorial of the “Destruction of the Temple”?
It is the anniversary of what the biblical narrative claims was the destruction of the alleged first and second temples, and it is one of 4 Jewish occasions on which settlers intensify their aggression against Al-Aqsa and is also known as “the anniversary of the ninth of Av.”

Card 2. This anniversary is considered one of the most unfortunate and sad days for the Jews, and mourning rituals are practiced during it, which is fasting for 25 hours, during which they abstain from all luxuries. A week before this day, calls by settlers to storm Al-Aqsa Mosque in large numbers begin.

Card 3. The settlers turned the anniversary of the “destruction of the Temple” from an occasion they used to cry and mourn, into an occasion for more settlement activity and raised the slogan “Stop crying and start building” meaning we do not want to cry over the destroyed “temple” but rather we will work to demolish Al-Aqsa and build a new temple.

Card 4. While building a new temple instead of Al-Aqsa is currently not possible, the Temple groups are seeking to prepare the mosque to be a “spiritual temple” by increasing the number of those storming Al-Aqsa during the storming times, especially during religious occasions, and imposing public biblical rituals inside the mosque.

Card 5. The Temple groups believe that by doing so they will gradually strip Al-Aqsa of its Islamic identity and turn its courtyards into a synagogue. In their view, this is the first step towards demolishing the mosque and establishing a temple in its place.

Card 6. How did the “destruction of the Temple” at Al-Aqsa last year?

  • 2180 settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque, led by extremist Itamar Ben Gvir and a number of members of the occupation Knesset
  • The intruders recited texts from the Book of Lamentations and the Temple Lamentation scrolls, which are recited specifically on this anniversary.
  • The settlers performed public Talmudic rituals and performed provocative dances in the mosque.
  • The occupation forces prevented worshipers from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque since the dawn prayer and assaulted those present in its vicinity.
  • The occupation forces stormed the Dome of the Rock and assaulted the employees of the Islamic Endowments in Al-Aqsa.

Card 7. How are the Temple groups preparing for the “Destruction of the Temple” anniversary this year?

  • Temple groups called for the establishment of a Judaization human chain around the wall of Jerusalem, starting from the Mughrabi Gate, passing through the Old City and ending at King David's Gate, during which the flags of the occupation will be raised.
  • Organizing a conference near the walls of the Old City to commemorate the “destruction of the Temple” and encourage the rebuilding of the Temple in place of the Al-Aqsa Mosque
  • Intensive mobilization and calls to carry out a major storming of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque on the anniversary of the “destruction of the Temple” on Tuesday 8/18/2024