Al-Aqsa Under High Surveillance: Israel Recruits Religious Nationalists for Mosque Security

Israel's police force is actively recruiting individuals from far-right and ultra-Orthodox Jewish circles for security positions at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, known to Jews as the Temple Mount. This initiative has drawn sharp criticism from Palestinians, who decry it as another step in a perceived plan to "Judaize" the mosque, Islam's third holiest site.

Lieutenant-Colonel Daniel Lersch, deputy commander of the 'Temple Mount' police unit, has spearheaded a recruitment campaign utilizing social media and WhatsApp groups associated with religious right-wing movements and settlers in the occupied West Bank. His online messages explicitly state, "We have launched a recruitment project for religious people for the Temple Mount. Anyone wishing to participate in the application of sovereignty is invited to contact me." The offered conditions are designed to be appealing, including flexible work schedules and what is described as a "good salary," framed as "high-level national service."

An investigation by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reveals a deeper trend: rabbis connected to groups advocating for changes to the site's status quo are encouraging their students to join the security forces stationed there. This has led to individuals who have previously participated in "incursions" onto the mosque grounds now becoming part of the police unit responsible for its security. This strategy appears aimed at ensuring an Orthodox and nationalist Jewish presence within the security apparatus controlling access to the holy site, suggesting an institutional infiltration rather than just external activism.

These developments occur amid a systematic push by Israel's National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, a far-right figure with a history of incitement charges. In recent months, the number of Jewish visitors to the compound has surged, access hours have been extended, and loud Jewish prayers and liturgical leaflets have been permitted within the site, marking significant departures from the historical status quo. Ben Gvir has further challenged norms by advocating for Israeli flags within the compound and even hoisting one himself using his parliamentary immunity.

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We have launched a recruitment project for religious people for the Temple Mount. Anyone wishing to participate in the application of sovereignty is invited to contact me.