Israel replaces Damascus Gate name on East Jerusalem signs

Abdullah Marouf, a researcher specializing in Al-Aqsa Mosque affairs, stated that Israel is attempting to Judaise Jerusalem by substituting Arabic and Islamic symbols with Jewish ones. He noted that the renaming aims to strip the location of its historical designation, emphasizing its importance as a central gate of Jerusalem. Marouf also pointed to previous instances of renaming, such as Solomon's Cave being renamed "Zedekiah's Cave."

The Jerusalem Governorate issued a statement asserting that these changes are not merely administrative but part of a broader policy to sever future generations from the city's historical Arabic names. The governorate emphasized that the names of Jerusalem's gates, streets, and landmarks are integral to the city's national, historical, and cultural memory, and that replacing them undermines its Arab, Islamic, and Christian heritage. However, they also stated that such measures would not erase Jerusalem's history.

Israel's occupation and annexation of East Jerusalem are not recognized under international law, which prohibits an occupying power from making permanent changes to occupied territory except for military or humanitarian reasons.