Jerusalem Governorate warns of efforts to establish Jewish prayer site at Gate of Mercy

The Jerusalem Governorate has issued a warning regarding organized efforts by certain groups to establish a new Jewish prayer site near the Al-Aqsa Mosque. According to a statement released Monday, rituals performed by settlers at the Gate of Mercy cemetery, located adjacent to the mosque's eastern wall, are part of a systematic campaign to transform the area into a frequent Jewish prayer location.

The Governorate noted that these activities have moved from social media propaganda—including the creation of WhatsApp groups—to practical steps. This includes calls for weekly 'Selichot' prayers at the site. The statement identified Uri Ohayon, a former military officer, as being directly linked to these movements, noting that several gatherings involving collective prayers and the blowing of the shofar have already taken place near Muslim graves.

The Jerusalem Governorate emphasized that the entire 144-dunam Al-Aqsa Mosque compound is an exclusively Islamic place of worship. It warned that allowing these practices to normalize could encourage groups to expand their activities and impose a new religious reality in the vicinity of the mosque.