How Israel is using the war on Iran to control religious sites in Jerusalem

How Israel is using the war on Iran to control religious sites in Jerusalem Submitted by Dania Abul Haj on Mon, 03/16/2026 - 15:32 In a city where you are constantly in direct contact with your occupier, continued existence becomes the only means of resistance Palestinian Muslims pray outside the Old City of Jerusalem as Al-Aqsa Mosque remains closed by Israeli forces during Ramadan on 6 March, 2026 (AFP) On My friend and I were standing near Damascus Gate, observing how empty the Old City of Jerusalem was during the last stretch of Ramadan, when we noticed that we had become surrounded by more than a dozen fully armed Israeli police officers. In a climate designed to intimidate, my friend proposed that we leave for the sake of our safety. As we walked away, we acknowledged the new status quo enforced by Israel: a general atmosphere of looming fear, more entrenched than ever before.