JERUSALEM, August 31, 2025 (WAFA) - The Jerusalem Governorate clarified today, Sunday, that leaked videos have revealed illegal excavation and demolition operations carried out by the Israeli occupation authorities beneath the Al-Aqsa Mosque, deliberately targeting Islamic artifacts dating back to the Umayyad period, which serve as living proof and conclusive evidence of the Muslims' rightful ownership of the site.
The Governorate stated that the occupation authorities are working to destroy these Islamic archaeological landmarks with the aim of erasing the historical identity of Al-Aqsa and falsifying the facts in favor of the alleged "Temple Mount" narrative. This, it emphasized, constitutes a direct assault on human heritage and Islamic civilization, and a blatant violation of international laws and conventions protecting cultural heritage.
The Governorate also reported that these excavations are being carried out in secret or semi-secret, far from any international oversight, which increases the risks to the foundations of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and its historical landmarks. “This threatens to undermine its architectural stability and to destroy invaluable historical evidence.”
The Governorate, in a statement, pointed out that the Israeli occupation seeks, through these actions, to impose new facts on the ground that serve its settlement projects and plans to Judaize the city. It warned that the continued destruction and removal of these Umayyad Islamic artifacts is a systematic crime aimed at targeting the Palestinian and Islamic memory and identity.
The Jerusalem Governorate stressed that what is happening beneath the Al-Aqsa Mosque is a major crime against history and humanity, calling on the international community, UNESCO, and the United Nations to intervene immediately to stop these violations and hold the occupation accountable for its crimes. It emphasized that Al-Aqsa, with its artifacts and history, will remain an integral part of the Islamic Ummah's identity that cannot be erased or falsified.
T.R.
