Event · Land & rights21 August 1969

Al-Aqsa Mosque is set on fire

إحراق المسجد الأقصى

Exact day21 August 1969

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When
21 August 1969Exact day
Where
Jerusalemapproximate position
Weight
80 · Defining momentKilling or attack
Sources
12 cited passages

On 21 August 1969 arson caused extensive damage to al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem. The UN Security Council, in resolution 271, condemned Israel’s failure to comply with its resolutions on Jerusalem and called on it to rescind all measures altering the city’s status.

The fire and the Council

In resolution 271 of 15 September 1969, adopted by 11 votes to none with 4 abstentions, the Security Council expressed its grief at the extensive damage caused by arson to al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem on 21 August 1969, under Israel’s military occupation. It determined that the act of desecration emphasized the need for Israel to desist from violating the Council’s resolutions and to rescind all measures designed to alter the status of Jerusalem, and condemned Israel’s failure to comply.12

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Connected

Connected people & places

  • PlaceJerusalem

    Linked context in the legacy record

    Legacy context · not a reviewed claim

Evidence

Every trace has a source.

The passages cited, numbered as in the story

  1. Security Council resolution 271 (1969) of 15 September 1969 ↗

    United Nations · section: Preamble

    Original-language quotation · en
    Grieved at the extensive damage caused by arson to the Holy Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem on 21 August 1969 under the military occupation of Israel
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  2. Security Council resolution 271 (1969) of 15 September 1969 ↗

    United Nations · paragraph: 3-5

    Editorial paraphrase · en

    The execrable act of desecration and profanation of the Holy Al-Aqsa Mosque emphasizes the immediate necessity of Israel's desisting from acting in violation of the aforesaid resolutions; the Council condemns the failure of Israel to comply.

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document · United Nations

Security Council resolution 271 (1969) of 15 September 1969

The resolution’s text, as held by the UN Information System on the Question of Palestine.

Published: 1969-09-15Consulted: 2026-10-17

Reference metadata and an original summary only. No permission to copy or host the source’s text, photographs, audio or video is asserted.

Dates & remembrance

08-21 · occurrence
Anniversary of the documented date.