Full Breakdown
Israeli Plan to Confiscate Properties Near Al-Aqsa
5/19/2026, 12:30:45 AM
Core Event: Israeli Plan Near Al-Aqsa
On Sunday Israeli ministers approved an inter-ministerial team to examine expropriation orders in the Bab al-Silsila (Chain Gate) neighbourhood of Jerusalem’s Old City. The team will assess steps to seize 15-20 Palestinian-owned homes and shops near the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Background & Context
Israel seized East Jerusalem in 1967 and issued confiscation orders, starting with a 1968 decree that invoked “public benefit” to transfer property to state ownership. The proposal follows a recommendation by former Minister Meir Porush and is framed as a step toward a continuous urban space linking the Jewish Quarter and the Western Wall.
Data & On-the-Ground Overview
The Jerusalem municipality estimates the plan will affect 15-20 properties, including residential units, shops and Islamic waqf endowments from the Ayyubid, Mamluk and Ottoman periods. The Chain Gate road, a main entrance to Al-Aqsa, is lined with historic schools and buildings; upper floors host Israeli settlers while Palestinian businesses operate below.
Official Statements
The Palestinian Jerusalem Governorate called the proposal a “new colonial escalation” that would displace residents and empty the Al-Aqsa environs. Israeli officials and Hebrew-language media said it strengthens sovereignty, completes state ownership of properties seized after 1967, and secures routes linking Jewish holy sites.
Criticism & Opposition
Imam Ekrima Sabri said the measures aim to “Judaise” the city and alter Jerusalem’s identity. Khalil Tawfikji argued the legal mechanism, normally used for schools and hospitals, is being applied to transfer land for the “Israeli public” rather than Palestinian, Muslim or Christian public. The UN has declared Israeli settlements illegal and warned they undermine a two-state solution.
Conflicting Reports
Israeli officials have not disclosed precise property numbers or compensation details, and the timeline beyond the team’s mandate to deliver recommendations remains unspecified.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Every measure carried out by the occupation serves the project of changing Jerusalem’s identity,” — Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, Imam of Al-Aqsa Mosque
- “These properties were confiscated in the name of public benefit, but the public they meant was the Israeli public,” — Khalil Tawfikji, Jerusalem affairs expert
- “Israeli authorities are preparing to approve on Sunday a plan aimed at seizing Palestinian properties in the Bab al-Silsila neighbourhood adjacent to Al-Aqsa Mosque, displacing residents and evicting Palestinian commercial shops to make way for settlement expansion.” — Palestinian Jerusalem Governorate
- “The targeted area includes between 15 and 20 Palestinian properties, including buildings and Islamic endowments dating back to the Ayyubid, Mamluk, and Ottoman periods,” — Palestinian Jerusalem Governorate
What’s Next
The inter-ministerial team is expected to deliver recommendations within months, after which the plan may proceed to implementation. Palestinian officials have signaled legal and diplomatic challenges, while international bodies monitor impact on the Old City’s demographic and cultural landscape.
