National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir raises the Israeli zionist entity flag on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City, May 14, 2026. Photo: Avraham Yitzhak Grossman.
Trump and his government reportedly want to see Al-Aqsa Mosque ‘stripped’ of its Muslim identity
Washington and Tel Aviv are “actively working” to bring about the end of Jordan’s historical custodianship over occupied Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque and transform the site into a “multi-faith center,” according to sources cited by Middle East Eye (MEE) on 25 May.
The sources told MEE that the US and Israel are “pursuing a new arrangement that would see the management of the revered Muslim site closely align with Israeli interests.”
Officials from Jordan, Palestine, and Gulf states, as well as some western sources, said the plan is being pushed by US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee – who once told Tucker Carlson it would be “fine” if Tel Aviv took over the whole region – is also said to be involved.
Tucker Carlson pressed US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on the biblical “Nile to the Euphrates” land promise to Israel, questioning whether that implies modern Israel has a claim to the entire region.
Huckabee says “it would be fine if they took it all.” pic.twitter.com/48GzuJ4vl7
— Clash Report (@clashreport) February 20, 2026
“The authority of the Jordanian-backed Islamic Waqf would abruptly end and a new body created by the Israeli government would declare the Al-Aqsa Mosque a ‘multi-faith center,’” the report states.
The “new arrangement” will give illegal settlers “equal access” to the holy site and allow for “large-group Jewish prayer,” according to the anonymous officials.
Israel would also gain influence over the appointment of imams, preachers, and top mosque figures.
This would grant Tel Aviv authority to “sign off” on the content and rhetoric expressed during Friday sermons.
The US had drafted a document on how it envisioned the future of the Islamic holy site.
According to US officials who spoke with MEE, “the Trump administration would like to see the Al-Aqsa Mosque stripped of its Muslim identity, with the site turned into a landmark tourist attraction that hosts all three Abrahamic religions.”
Arab states would be given “rotational” oversight of the mosque compound. Washington’s Arab allies have been briefed on the plan, the report went on to say. Saudi Arabia reportedly opposed the proposal.
The plan dates back to Trump’s first presidency, but went into motion after Huckabee became ambassador last year and pushed repeatedly for its implementation.
“The Americans have been angry that the Jordanians cite their custodianship and raise complaints about Israeli actions at Al-Aqsa,” one source said. “This plan says nothing about the Christian sites, which raises a whole new set of concerns.”
Dozens of Jewish Settlers Break into Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem
Jordan has not officially commented on the MEE report.
A Jordanian official told the outlet that Amman’s position on the mosque “remains firm” and under Jordan’s custodianship.
“[Jordanian custodianship] is internationally recognized under treaties and agreements, including Article 9 of the 1994 Jordan–Israel peace treaty. Jordan is coordinating with Palestinian, Arab, and international partners to preserve the sites’ Arab, Islamic, and Christian identity and prevent any alteration to the historical and legal status quo,” the official said.
Before Trump’s second presidency, the Israeli widow of late US businessman Sheldon Adelson heavily funded Trump’s campaign in exchange for supporting Israeli annexation of the occupied West Bank, according to Hebrew reports from 2024.
Jordan has been the official custodian of the Al-Aqsa Mosque since 1967 – the year Israeli forces illegally captured and occupied Jerusalem.
Since then, an internationally-backed deal has allowed the Jordanian-funded Islamic Waqf organization to oversee the site’s affairs.
For decades, Israel has illegally imposed extremely tight security regulations on Palestinian worshippers. Troops have repeatedly stormed the mosque and assaulted those praying inside over the years.
Illegal settlers backed by forces and government ministers storm the site on a near-daily basis, coinciding with the continued expansion of settlements in and around occupied Jerusalem.
Israeli Jewish settlers under police cover break into the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem, the third holiest place for millions of Muslims worldwide, as part of their attempts to impose their sovereignty over the holy site. pic.twitter.com/PpWSY9PMbp
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) May 26, 2026
Ben Gvir Storms Al-Aqsa Mosque, Raises the Israeli Flag, and Joins Settlers in Dancing and Singing Under Heavy Israeli Military Protection. pic.twitter.com/gJ9o9C0gBO
— Eye on Palestine (@EyeonPalestine) May 14, 2026
The site has also been endangered by years of illegal underground Israeli excavations that are part of a historically motivated search for ‘Solomon’s Temple.’
The report comes two weeks after MEE released an investigation detailing the “New Nakba” that has escalated against the Palestinian communities of occupied East Jerusalem since 7 October 2023.
According to the investigation, 20,000 Palestinian-owned homes are currently under Israeli demolition orders across occupied East Jerusalem.
Hebrew media reported earlier this month that Israel is moving forward with plans to steal Palestinian-owned property near Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem.
Palestinian authorities referred to the scheme as a bid to “Judaize” Jerusalem.
