The Dome of the Rock was removed from a photo of the Western Wall hung up in the offices of the Jerusalem district appeals committee of the Planning Administration, Haaretz reported on Sunday.
The base of the Dome of the Rock is still visible in the photo, but the dome itself is missing. After Haaretz contacted the office about the photo, it was taken down.
The photo was shared widely by Palestinian media after the publication of the report by Haaretz.
Aviv Tatarsky, a researcher at the Ir Amim organization, told Haaretz that “if in the past it was about fringe and extreme groups, today there are elements that dream of erasing the Dome of the Rock at the heart of the Israeli establishment.”
The Dome of the Rock is believed to be about where the two Temples of the Jews stood in ancient times, although the exact location on the Mount is debated by some. Some Muslim scholars believe that the site under the Dome is where Muhammad ascended to heaven in his Night Journey, although the exact location on the Mount is debated by others.
ילדים יקרים, התוכלו לזהות מה חסר בתמונה שתלויה במשרדי ועדת הערר המחוזית ירושלים? pic.twitter.com/nUG7B0S6op
— Yael Freidson יעל פרידסון (@YaelFreidson) March 26, 2023
ילדים יקרים, התוכלו לזהות מה חסר בתמונה שתלויה במשרדי ועדת הערר המחוזית ירושלים? pic.twitter.com/nUG7B0S6op
Missing Dome of the Rock image comes amidst threat of Palestinian violence in Israel
The report comes as tensions run high amid the first days of Ramadan. On Saturday night, police entered the al-Qibli chapel of al-Aqsa mosque and removed Palestinians who had barricaded themselves inside, after receiving information that some of those barricaded inside planned to conduct riots during planned visits by Jewish visitors on Sunday morning.
Video from the scene showed Muslim men and women praying, chanting “Allahu Akbar” and shouting at police officers as the officers removed worshippers from the building and the complex.
Palestinians attempting to enter the complex were blocked from entering the gates of the Temple Mount, according to Palestinian reports. Footage from some of the gates showed Palestinians scuffling with Israeli forces who blocked the gates.
According to police, the stay of Palestinians overnight in the mosque went against agreements made with the Waqf, adding that mosques outside the Temple Mount had been prepared for those wanting to stay overnight. Police attempted to get those barricaded inside to leave on their own accord, but most refused to leave.