Double standard for Jerusalem: When Christians are heard and Muslims are silenced

Israel’s treatment of Jerusalem’s holy sites in early 2026 exposed deep colonial and racist hierarchies in the city. In late February, Israeli authorities closed access to both Masjid Al-Aqsa and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. They cited security concerns tied to the ongoing Israel–US war on Iran. For Palestinians and Muslims across the world, the closure of Al-Aqsa during most of Ramadan, including Eid and which is ongoing, is a profound spiritual blow. It was enforced with military severity, including the barring of the Imam of Al-Aqsa, Sheikh Muhammad Al-Abbasi, from entering the sacred Sanctuary just before Ramadan. The closure after two weeks provoked condemnation from the foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan, the UAE, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia […]