Settlers Plan Animal Sacrifice at Al-Aqsa Amid 30-Day Mosque Closure
This escalation comes as Israeli authorities have kept the holy site completely closed to Muslim worshippers for 30 consecutive days, citing security concerns related to the ongoing regional war.
Passover Sacrifice and the "Altar" Campaign According to a statement released on Sunday evening, March 29, 2026, various "Temple Mount" organizations are intensifying efforts to perform sacrificial rituals during the upcoming Passover holiday (April 2–9).
The Ritual: Extremist groups aim to slaughter a lamb or a goat inside the mosque courtyards as a symbolic prelude to establishing a "Third Temple" on the site.
AI-Driven Propaganda: The Governorate noted that these groups are using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to generate realistic images and videos of sacrificial feasts and a rebuilt "Temple" in place of the Dome of the Rock to mobilize their supporters. One such ad, reportedly released by Elkana Wolfson of the "Temple Mount Religious School," depicts a religious altar standing in front of the mosque.
Historical Precedents and Growing Influence The current threat follows three serious incidents in 2025 where settlers successfully smuggled small animals or blood-stained meat into the compound. Analysts suggest these groups are exploiting the current "state of emergency" and the influence of far-right figures within the Israeli police—specifically following the appointment of Avshalom Peled as Jerusalem’s police commander—to push the boundaries of the decades-old "status quo."
A City Under Siege The closure, which began in late February 2026, has not been limited to Al-Aqsa; the Church of the Holy Sepulchre has also faced restricted access. While only Waqf staff and guards are permitted inside the mosque, Palestinian worshippers have been forced to perform prayers in the streets of the Old City, often facing dispersal by security forces. The Jerusalem Governorate has called for urgent international intervention to prevent a religious explosion, warning that the "Zionist right wing is closer than ever" to carrying out these provocative acts inside the third-holiest site in Islam.
