Al-Aqsa is in danger

"Al-Aqsa is in danger" (Arabic: الأقصى في خطر, romanized: al-Aqṣá fī khaṭar) is an Islamic political slogan that has been used in the context of the Arab–Israeli conflict. Referring to the Temple Mount, which is known to Muslims as the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, it is a rallying call for Muslims to oppose the presence of Jews and Israelis at the compound under the pretext that they are seeking to take it over for the construction of the Third Temple. It also opposes archaeological investigations at the site, which are perceived as undermining the structural foundations of the area; many biblical excavations, particularly by Christian organizations, have sought to unearth more evidence of the Temple in Jerusalem and the true site of Jesus' crucifixion, among others.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6] Many fundamentalist Jewish organizations, such as the Jerusalem-based Temple Mount Faithful, have attempted to contest Muslim hegemony on the Temple Mount, sometimes in close coordination with their Christian counterparts.

It was most notably used between 1996 and 2015 for the annual "Al-Aqsa in Danger Festival" that was held by the Palestinian Muslim religious leader Raed Salah and his Islamic Movement in Israel, considered the most well-attended Islamic festival in Israel.^[7]

It has been described by pro-Israeli commentators as a "dangerous lie" that has been used by Arabs to fan the flames of violent anti-Jewish uprisings, such as the 1929 Palestine riots, the Al-Aqsa intifada, the 2009 Al-Aqsa clashes, the 2022 Al-Aqsa clashes, and the 2023 Al-Aqsa clashes.^[8]

References

^ Larkin, Craig; Dumper, Michael (2012). "In Defense of Al-Aqsa: The Islamic Movement inside Israel and the Battle for Jerusalem". Middle East Journal. 66 (1). Middle East Institute: 31–52. doi:10.3751/66.1.12. ISSN 0026-3141. JSTOR 41342768. S2CID 144916717. Retrieved 2023-08-01.
^ Lawler, Andrew (2021-11-03). "How Christians Eager to Excavate the Biblical Past Sparked Strife in Jerusalem". Time. Retrieved 2023-08-01.
^ Rekhess, Elie (2002). "The Arabs of Israel after Oslo: Localization of the National Struggle". Israel Studies. 7 (3). Indiana University Press: 1–44. doi:10.2979/ISR.2002.7.3.1. ISSN 1084-9513. JSTOR 30245594. S2CID 144093617. Retrieved 2023-08-01.
^ Eran Tzidkiyahu. ”Whose surroundings we have blessed”: The Islamic Movement in Israel Unites around the Al-Aqsa Mosque. [Research Report] Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies; Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung. 2015, pp.3 - 8. hal-03459539
^ Reiter, Y. (2008). Jerusalem and Its Role in Islamic Solidarity. Palgrave Macmillan US. ISBN 978-0-230-61271-6. Retrieved 2023-08-01.
^ Center, Berkley; Affairs, World (2021-05-08). ""Al-Aqsa Is in Danger": How Jerusalem Connects Palestinian Citizens of Israel to the Palestinian Cause". Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs. Retrieved 2023-08-01.
^ Frisch, H. (2011). Israel's Security and Its Arab Citizens. Cambridge University Press. p. 96. ISBN 978-1-139-50334-1. Retrieved 2023-07-31. The annual "al-Aqsa in danger" commemorations held in Umm al-Fahm's soccer stadium since 1996 are by far the biggest and best-attended events on the Arab sector's political calendar. Especially prominent was a gathering in 1998, which interposed the commemoration of Muhammad's ascent to heaven from the al-Aqsa mosque-the "night of the nocturnal ascent" (al-isra wal-miraj) - the only holy day in the Islamic calendar linked to the Temple Mount, as well as the fiftieth anniversary of the Nakba (catastrophe referring to Israel's victory and creation in the War of 1948). Attended by over 30,000 people, it far outshone the commemoration ceremonies organized by the "national" (non-Islamic) groups. The latter attracted only a few hundred attendees, even according to sources sympathetic to them.
^ Cravatts, Richard L. (2017-06-21). "'Al-Aqsa is in danger' is a dangerous lie. 'Temple Denial' is antisemitic historical revisionism. It's time for the Western media to stop indulging them". Fathom. Retrieved 2023-08-01.

[Larkin_Dumper_2012_pp._31–52-1] Larkin, Craig; Dumper, Michael (2012). "In Defense of Al-Aqsa: The Islamic Movement inside Israel and the Battle for Jerusalem". Middle East Journal. 66 (1). Middle East Institute: 31–52. doi:10.3751/66.1.12. ISSN 0026-3141. JSTOR 41342768. S2CID 144916717. Retrieved 2023-08-01.

[Lawler_2021_t734-2] Lawler, Andrew (2021-11-03). "How Christians Eager to Excavate the Biblical Past Sparked Strife in Jerusalem". Time. Retrieved 2023-08-01.

[Rekhess_2002_pp._1–44-3] Rekhess, Elie (2002). "The Arabs of Israel after Oslo: Localization of the National Struggle". Israel Studies. 7 (3). Indiana University Press: 1–44. doi:10.2979/ISR.2002.7.3.1. ISSN 1084-9513. JSTOR 30245594. S2CID 144093617. Retrieved 2023-08-01.

[4] Eran Tzidkiyahu. ”Whose surroundings we have blessed”: The Islamic Movement in Israel Unites around the Al-Aqsa Mosque. [Research Report] Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies; Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung. 2015, pp.3 - 8. hal-03459539

[Reiter_2008_p.-5] Reiter, Y. (2008). Jerusalem and Its Role in Islamic Solidarity. Palgrave Macmillan US. ISBN 978-0-230-61271-6. Retrieved 2023-08-01.

[Center_Affairs_2021_r035-6] Center, Berkley; Affairs, World (2021-05-08). ""Al-Aqsa Is in Danger": How Jerusalem Connects Palestinian Citizens of Israel to the Palestinian Cause". Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs. Retrieved 2023-08-01.

[Frisch_2011_p._96-7] Frisch, H. (2011). Israel's Security and Its Arab Citizens. Cambridge University Press. p. 96. ISBN 978-1-139-50334-1. Retrieved 2023-07-31. The annual "al-Aqsa in danger" commemorations held in Umm al-Fahm's soccer stadium since 1996 are by far the biggest and best-attended events on the Arab sector's political calendar. Especially prominent was a gathering in 1998, which interposed the commemoration of Muhammad's ascent to heaven from the al-Aqsa mosque-the "night of the nocturnal ascent" (al-isra wal-miraj) - the only holy day in the Islamic calendar linked to the Temple Mount, as well as the fiftieth anniversary of the Nakba (catastrophe referring to Israel's victory and creation in the War of 1948). Attended by over 30,000 people, it far outshone the commemoration ceremonies organized by the "national" (non-Islamic) groups. The latter attracted only a few hundred attendees, even according to sources sympathetic to them.

[Cravatts_2017_n774-8] Cravatts, Richard L. (2017-06-21). "'Al-Aqsa is in danger' is a dangerous lie. 'Temple Denial' is antisemitic historical revisionism. It's time for the Western media to stop indulging them". Fathom. Retrieved 2023-08-01.

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