The video showing a young Jewish man urinating on the wall of Al-Azir Mosque in Abu Ghosh, near Jerusalem, has sparked outrage and deep emotions among the residents of the village. Locals describe the incident as “a disgraceful act of a racist and disgusting person” and “a blatant attack on our holy sites
Jerusalem District Police detained a young man for investigation after he recorded himself offending religious sentiments in the Abu Ghosh community near Jerusalem pic.twitter.com/R3hcBnEakM
— jerusalem online (@Jlmonline) August 28, 2025
Public outrage in Abu Ghosh over desecration of Al-Azir Mosque
Residents of Abu Ghosh stressed that such an act undermines the fabric of coexistence in the area and reflects a worrying spread of racism. They also expressed a deep sense of insult and demanded harsh punishment for the suspect, who has been arrested by the Jerusalem District Police
Abdul Hamid Abu Ghosh, a member of the popular committee of Abu Ghosh, Ein Rafa, and Ein Naqquba, said: “What happened is a blatant attack on our dignity, our values, and our religion, and it has sparked widespread anger in Abu Ghosh and the surrounding towns. That a young man would urinate on the wall of the oldest mosque in the village? This is something completely unacceptable. If the scenario were reversed, we would have witnessed an incident that would become a major issue in Israeli public opinion, with a direct response from the police. Attacking our holy places is a red line
He further added: “As a first step, we issued a statement condemning this attack, and we are working to ensure that the perpetrator receives the harshest possible punishment… We also demand that the imams conduct the Friday prayers at Al-Azir Mosque, as they did in the past, to reaffirm our commitment to every inch of our holy sites
In a statement published by Abdul Aziz Hassan Othman, the imam of the ancient Al-Azir Mosque, it was noted: “Jewish extremist terrorists attacked the sanctity of Abu Ghosh’s old mosque, when one of them urinated on its wall, uploaded the video to social media and said: ‘I peed on the mosque.’ This is a filthy, terrorist, and extremist act. It is a dangerous provocation meant to incite hatred and division between people of different faiths, because mosques are holy places, houses of God that must be respected and never insulted. We strongly condemn this act committed by extremist terrorists, and we ask Almighty God to punish them in the harshest way
In another statement published by Sheikh Raed Ibrahim, the imam of the Grand Mosque of Abu Ghosh, it was written: “This vile video was produced by a despicable hater. With great anger and resentment, we condemn the disgraceful act committed by one of the extremists when he urinated on the wall of Al-Azir Mosque in the village. This is a blatant attack on the sanctity of God’s houses and on the feelings of all Muslims. Such a despicable act reflects an evil extremist mentality that violates holy places and seeks to ignite incitement. It is an act contrary to all human values and religious and moral norms. We in Abu Ghosh affirm that the violation of the sanctity of mosques is a grave violation that we will not accept, and we call on the competent authorities to hold the perpetrator accountable and take measures to prevent the recurrence of such crimes. We pledge before God to remain an impenetrable barrier against anyone who tries to harm our mosques and holy sites
(Hate crime in Abu Ghosh near Jerusalem: vile act)
Al-Azir Mosque in Abu Ghosh – history and significance near Jerusalem
Al-Azir Mosque is the oldest and most central mosque in the village of Abu Ghosh. Located in the center of the town, not far from the large Chechen mosque built a decade ago, the mosque is named after the Prophet Ezra, who, according to local tradition, is buried in the area. It has served for generations as an important religious, spiritual, and social center for the residents of the village
The site has been used as a place of prayer for centuries. The current structure has undergone renovations and expansions over the years but has retained its traditional character and uniqueness. It stands as a testimony to the rich history of the place and its people, and for Abu Ghosh residents it remains a living symbol of faith, heritage, and community
