Muslims have been praying at Al-Aqsa Mosque for around 1,400 years.
Israel has had its eyes on the holy site since the state’s creation in 1948, and its leaders have made increasingly aggressive attempts to seize control over the last quarter-century.
In September 2000, Ariel Sharon, then Israel’s opposition leader, stormed Al-Aqsa complex with more than 1,000 police officers. The move provoked the Second Intifada.
It was also the start of Israel’s creeping takeover of Al-Aqsa complex, which alongside Mecca and Medina, is among Islam’s three holiest sites.
In theory and by law, the custodian of Al-Aqsa Mosque is King Abdullah II of Jordan. He is responsible for its maintenance, security, and - if need be - defence. But ever since the Sharon outrage, Israel has whittled away at Jordanian control.
