As missiles fly between nations, the spiritual center of Jerusalem falls into silence. Operation “KeLavi” — the Israeli military strike on Iran — has brought an eerie calm to one of the world’s most contested and sacred places. The gates of Al-Aqsa were sealed, the faithful locked out. Only the birds remained
Hundreds of pigeons landed across the wide courtyard, cooing softly — as if reciting prayers in place of those who could not
From the Mughrabi Gate: Silence Where Prayer Once Rose
Standing at the Mughrabi Gate — the only entrance through which non-Muslims may observe the compound — the scene is surreal
No calls of children. No quiet rustle of prayer mats. No echo of feet on the stones. Just wind, and stone, and silence
Security forces watch the stillness in disbelief. Just days ago, this plaza was overflowing with life. Now the golden Dome of the Rock waits under the sun, still and alone
To its side, the Western Wall too has fallen quiet. Prayers folded into its crevices remain unanswered, guarded only by the pines and cypresses that rise like sentinels
A Feathered Prayer for Peace
Suddenly, the adhan — the Muslim call to prayer — sounds across the Old City. No human voice responds
But the pigeons do
They nest between ancient olive trees, they flutter and land in circles, moving with a purpose only they understand. In these days of war, the birds have become the last worshippers
In peacetime, Al-Aqsa is a crossroads: Muslims, Jews, and tourists from around the world enter through different gates to experience the holiness of the place. Today, those gates are shut
Omar, 14, spots me watching and says, “I come here every morning from al-Tur with my father. This is like my second home.”
A tour guide, walking without tourists, murmurs to a colleague, “This place used to breathe — now it’s just a memory in stone.”
A municipal cleaner shrugs, broom in hand: “I’ve never seen so many pigeons at Al-Aqsa
The Birds Don’t Need Permission
Waqf workers pace the perimeter quietly. Guards keep their posts. But inside, among the stones, only the pigeons walk freely.
No permits. No checkpoints. No fear
The pigeons don’t care about borders
They just came to pray
