For nearly a millennium and a half, Muslims have had control of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, Islam’s third holiest site, except for a span during the rule of the crusaders between 1099 and 1187. Even following the 1967 war, Israel was careful not to allow Jews to pray in the mosque compound.

Under an edict by Israel’s two top rabbis, Jews are not to set foot in the mosque area, which Jews call the Temple Mount. Jews believe the Temple Mount to be the site where the Biblical First and Second temples used to stand. The chief rabbis have reiterated their ban a number of times. But in recent years, and despite that ruling, Jews have insisted on entering the mosque in any way and trying to sneak in prayer here and there. In the latest twist, Israeli police in Jerusalem were forced to go to court and request that the court defend their position on barring Jewish prayer at Al-Aqsa.

The mosque area — officially called al-Haram al-Sharif/Al-Aqsa Mosque — is a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site. International rulings, as well as bilateral agreements between Israel and Jordan, recognize that the Islamic Waqf Council appointed and run by the Jordanian Waqf Ministry is the sole party responsible for managing this historic site.

Despite the edict banning Jewish prayer, which is stated in Hebrew on a sign at the entrance to Al-Aqsa closest to the Western Wall — some hardline Jews have found other religious edicts to circumvent it, and have been making regular visits to the mosque complex in an attempt to regain control over it or parts of it.