Ajmal

Judaising Names and Landmarks in Jerusalem The Judaising project in Jerusalem targets every corner of the occupied city. Nothing is left untouched. This includes settlement expansion, seizing Palestinian homes, planting foreign Jewish landmarks near Masjid Al-Aqsa, direct attacks on holy sites, and ongoing attempts to impose full control over Masjid Al-Aqsa. A major part of this effort is the attempt to impose a fabricated Jewish narrative over the city. Historical landmarks are demolished or sidelined, and new names and structures are introduced that have no connection to Jerusalem’s real identity. One of the most systematic tools used is the replacement of Arabic and Islamic names across the city’s streets, alleys, neighbourhoods, and heritage sites. How Names Are Being Changed The occupation replaces established Arab and Islamic names with Jewish ones linked to: - Settler rabbis - Soldiers who took part in occupying Jerusalem - Biblical themes related to the “Temple” myth These changes appear not only on street signs but across official documents, identity cards, utility bills, school textbooks, tourist maps, GPS systems and global mapping platforms such as Google Maps. Scale of the Erasure Researchers estimate that: - Around 80,000 Palestinian names have been changed since 1948 - In Jerusalem alone, 22,000 names and landmarks have been altered - A 2018 study documented 667 heritage sites in the city whose names were changed This process is ongoing. In 2021, for example, the municipality launched a campaign to Judaise several streets inside the Old City. Who Approves the New Names There are two main bodies responsible: - A municipal naming committee in Jerusalem, influenced by academics and right-wing politicians. - The Government Naming Committee under the Prime Minister’s Office, which controls naming across all occupied territories. Both committees rely on three main methods: 1. Replacing Arabic names entirely 2. Translating Arabic names into Hebrew 3. Using Hebrew script for Arabic sounds to distort meaning and identity Why Names Are Targeted Renaming is not a minor issue. It is a core part of the Judaisation strategy. The objectives include: - Imposing a Jewish religious narrative onto Jerusalem - Strengthening biblical claims around Masjid Al-Aqsa - Erasing the city’s Arab and Islamic identity - Targeting Islamic and Christian holy sites - Misleading visitors into believing in a fabricated “ancient Jewish Jerusalem” - Forcing future generations to use Hebrew names through official documents and daily interaction - Weakening residents’ emotional and historical connection to their city - Turning Jerusalem into a place that alienates its indigenous population through foreign names, symbols, and ongoing pressure Examples of Falsification Across the City Recent examples include: Bab al-Asbat Road → Mordechai Street Ras al-Amoud Road → Maaleh HaZeitim Jaffa Gate to Damascus Gate Road → Paratroopers’ Road Mount of Olives → Har HaMishchah Umayyad Palaces Road → Shir HaMa’alot Bab al-Zahra Street → Amir Drori Street Multiple lanes in Silwan renamed after various rabbis. In September 2025, even public buses replaced Al-Buraq Wall with Western Wall. The Most Dangerous Erasure, The Name of Masjid Al-Aqsa While many names across Jerusalem are being replaced, the most significant and concerning erasure is that of the Qur’anic name, Masjid Al-Aqsa. 1. Street signs now label it “Al-Haram Al-Sharif / Temple Mount” This shifts the site away from its Qur’anic name and presents it as a neutral or shared space. 2. New street signs now read “Har HaBayt” This is the Hebrew term for “Temple Mount”, reflecting an attempt to normalise a completely different religious narrative. 3. Masjid Al-Aqsa is reduced to a single building