The Judaization project of Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa has long preceded the Israeli and British occupation of Al-Quds. From 1867 – 1870, the Zionists began excavation work under the bases of Al-Aqsa, claiming they were ‘British envoys’ funded by several foundations including the British Palestine Exploration Fund. However, the excavations stopped when the Muslims rebelled against the violation of their most sacred site. After the 1967 defeat of the Arab armies, the excavations were renewed and are still in progress until this date. Some have been revealed, while others remain hidden.
Falsification of History:
Following are some Israeli tunnels which were discovered:
- The Western Tunnel:
Excavations started in the Western Tunnel in 1970, stopped in 1974 and were resumed in 1975. The tunnel begins from beneath the Sharia Court along the western wall of Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa from the south to the north moving past five gates of Al-Aqsa. The excavations led to the collapse and cracking of holy buildings and houses. The tunnel was dug 11-14 meters deep.
On September 25, 1996, the tunnel was declared open, and the Palestinian people initiated a popular intifada that was known as the ‘Tunnel Uprising’. 63 Palestinians were martyred and 1600 wounded in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
- Alqatanin Gate Tunnel (Qayt Bay):
On August 21, 1981, the Israeli occupation tried to reopen the tunnel connecting Alqatanin Gate with the Dome of the Rock to the east. The tunnel begins from the western fence near Al-Mutahira Gate to Qayt Bay Fountain. It is about 25m long, 6m deep. One of the Muslim guards heard the sound of digging at night. He called his officials in the Ministry of Endowment. The citizens gathered and prevented the excavation work from continuing. The Ministry closed the tunnel with reinforced concrete on September 3 of the same year.
- Hammam Al-Ayn Tunnel:
The work on this tunnel started towards the end of 2004 and beginning of 2005 beneath Hammam Al-Ayn to the end of Al-Wad Gate in old Al-Quds. The excavation work includes digging historical halls that are intended to be connected with the Western Tunnel. This tunnel is 200m long.
- Silwan Tunnel (Wadi Hilweh):
The Tunnel was revealed in 2009 beneath the western side of Ayn Silwan Mosque, to the north of the entrance of Wadi Hilweh neighborhood. The Tunnel was gradually introduced throughout the years. This Tunnel meets Wadi Hilweh Tunnel so together they make a 600-meter tunnel, to which several parts in the neighborhood are added.
The excavation work affected the citizens’ houses. The Palestinians headed to the Israeli courts to prevent the work under their houses, and it lasted for 14 months when the settlement associations successfully received a court order that allows the excavation to continue as long as it does not pose danger on the lives of the families. However, the last part was not met.
- The Jebusite Tunnel:
The Tunnel was dug in the rocks during the Jebusite era and has two branches that begin from beneath the entrance of Silwan Hill to the south of Al-Aqsa and end in Al-Bustan neighborhood in the center of Silwan town. They are about 350m long.
The Antiquities Authority carried out excavations funded by Ir David Foundation. The excavations reached the Umayyad Palaces area to the south of Al-Aqsa. Some parts were excavated from June 2014 to June 2015; one of them was 10m long, 4m wide and 3m high.
Establishing the Alleged Haykal:
The excavations, as engineer Raef Nejem – former Minister of Endowments in Jordan – says, are intended to weaken the Islamic buildings in the area of Al-Hawd Al-Muqaddas (the area includes Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa, the Muslims Quarter, the Jewish Quarter, and Silwan). They also aim to confiscate some buildings, and destroy others. They claim, however, that they are searching for the bases of the alleged Haykal, which they have not found until this day.
Risk of Collapse:
Nejem confirmed that the excavation work beneath Al-Masjid has weakened its bases, especially that great parts of the Masjid are in the southern area and are built on 8m of vacuum. Now, there is more vacuum below. If an earthquake of 6.5 or 7 happens, the Masjid could, God forbid, collapse.
As a result, the ‘Israeli’ institution (both religious and political) would be enabled to impose its control over the area beneath Al-Masjid hence control the area above as well, as said Sheikh Raed Salah Chief of the Islamic Movement in the occupied lands.
This dangerous project and such vicious objectives make the risks realistic especially after years of excavations and falsification. The rude statements by extreme Zionists in the government and extreme groups require immediate Arab and Islamic action to save the holy city and support the murabiteen. We must make use of UNESCO’s recent resolution in which it considered ‘Israel’ and occupation in Al-Quds, and its previous demands of immediate shutdown of all illegal excavations carried out by the settlers who violate sacred sites.