Nine Israeli ministers and 13 lawmakers have called on police to allow occupiers to storm the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Friday to mark the anniversary of Israel's occupation of East Jerusalem.
The request came in a letter sent by the police and published on Monday by Beyadenu, a far-right organization that encourages Israeli occupier incursions into Al-Aqsa mosque.
Most of the signatories belong to the right-wing Likud party led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been wanted by the International Criminal Court since 2024 on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip.
Likud ministers who signed the request include Defense Minister Israel Katz, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, Health Minister Haim Katz, Energy Minister Eli Cohen, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, Sports Minister Miki Zohar, Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli and Innovation Minister Gila Gamliel. Minister in the Finance Ministry Zeev Elkin, from the right-wing New Hope bloc, also signed it.
Ten Likud lawmakers and three lawmakers from the far-right Religious Zionism party, led by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, also signed the letter.
Three ministers had signed the request last week, and Israeli Army Radio reported at the time that police were expected to reject it.
It remains unclear whether that position will stand after the number of ministers backing the request rose from three to nine.
The anniversary of Israel's occupation of East Jerusalem in 1967 falls this year on May 15, which corresponds to Friday under the Hebrew calendar.
Tens of thousands of Palestinians typically arrive at al-Aqsa Mosque early in the morning to perform the weekly Friday prayers.
Occupier incursions into the mosque compound often include provocations against Muslim worshippers, such as performing Talmudic rituals and prayers and raising Israeli flags.
Palestinians view occupier incursions into al-Aqsa as part of intensified Israeli efforts to Judaize the occupied East Jerusalem and erase its Arab and Islamic identity.
Palestinians seek East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, citing international resolutions that do not recognize Israel's occupation of the city in 1967 or its annexation in 1980.
Israel was established in 1948 on land seized by armed Zionist groups that committed massacres and displaced at least 750,000 Palestinians. Tel Aviv later occupied the remaining Palestinian territories and continues to refuse withdrawal and the establishment of a Palestinian state.
