The wood of the bridge will not afford safe use for an extended period, wrote the engineer in a document, advising that the bridge be replaced "without delay" with a steel bridge in order to avoid constant maintenance and protect the bridge against fire.
The engineer stressed that the wood is extremely dry and cracked and that past attempts to treat the wood had failed, according to Channel 13.
Previous attempts to build a new bridge at the site failed in 2011 and in 2014, after pressure by the Jordanian government. The wood bridge has served as a "temporary" replacement for a damaged stone ramp since 2003. Multiple warnings concerning the bridge's condition have been issued in the past decade.
The warning comes amid heightened tensions surrounding the Temple Mount after riots and clashes with Israeli security forces at the site sparked a two week long conflict with the Gaza Strip which ended with a ceasefire a few weeks ago. Terrorist groups in Gaza have warned that any "violation" of the Temple Mount would renew the conflict.
Additionally, right-wing Israeli groups recently announced that they would redo the Flag March traditionally done on Jerusalem Day next Thursday after the Flag March this year was redirected due to heightened tensions and then disrupted due to rocket fire from Gaza.
The march is expected to begin at 7 p.m. on Thursday and head through multiple routes towards the Western Wall. Israel Police have approved the march, according to Channel 12.Hamas's spokesperson on Jerusalem warned on Saturday against the march, calling on Palestinians to arrive at Al-Aqsa on Thursday to confront the march. Jews are, in general, allowed to visit the Temple Mount during specific visiting hours on Thursdays and all other days of the week except for Friday and Saturday, although police could ban Jewish visitors if they believe that it is not safe or that it could harm security.
Defense Minister Benny Gantz has demanded that the march not be held in order to prevent harm to the public order and ongoing diplomatic efforts.
Palestinian media expressed outrage after the report on the bridge was published, claiming that the Jerusalem municipality had announced that it intended to build a new bridge to the Mughrabi Gate. The Jerusalem Municipality has not publicly announced any plans to take any such action.
Fakhri Abu Diab, a Palestinian activist from the Silwan neighborhood of east Jerusalem, told the Palestinian Safa news that the municipality planned to construct the bridge after the warning issued by the engineer.
Abu Diab claimed that the planned bridge would be as wide as five meters and about 70 meters long. The activist added that excavations would need to be conducted in order to build the new bridge, warning that this could cause damage to the Western Wall.
The Palestinian report claimed that building such a bridge would change the reality and character of the site and "Judaize" it, calling it a "dangerous precedent, a systematic attack on the Islamic endowment, and a blatant interference in the affairs of the Islamic Endowment Department in Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque."
Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar warned on Saturday that the coming days would be "a test" to see if agreements surrounding a ceasefire which ended Operation Guardian of the Walls would be held up by all sides, stating that "if the battle with the occupation returns, the shape of the Middle East will change."
The IDF plans to reinforce air defense systems in light of the threats made by Sinwar, Walla! news reported on Sunday.