OCCUPIED EAST JERUSALEM: Dozens of Israeli settlers entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem on Wednesday under heavy police protection, Palestinian authorities said, in a move that has further escalated tensions across the occupied West Bank.
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According to the Jerusalem Governorate, settlers moved through the courtyards of the compound and performed provocative religious rituals, including so-called “epic prostration,” near Bab al-Rahma gate and close to the Dome of the Rock. The governorate described the actions as deliberate provocations inside one of Islam’s holiest sites.
Groups linked to the so-called “Temple movement” reportedly circulated calls urging further incursions into the site, encouraging settlers to raise Israeli flags within the compound, according to statements carried by the Palestinian news agency Wafa.
The incident took place amid heightened Israeli security measures in East Jerusalem, where police have increased checkpoints, closed roads, and restricted access for Palestinian worshippers attempting to reach the mosque.
Tensions around the site have intensified in recent weeks, with a growing number of settler incursions reported. Palestinian officials say such actions have become more frequent since early April, often accompanied by public religious rituals inside the compound.
Last week, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also entered the Al-Aqsa compound alongside settlers and performed religious rituals, marking his third such visit this year and the 16th since taking office in 2022, according to local reports.
Al-Aqsa Mosque is regarded as the third-holiest site in Islam, while Jews refer to the area as the Temple Mount, believing it to be the location of ancient Jewish temples.
Since 2003, Israeli authorities have allowed limited settler access to the compound during specific hours, a policy Palestinians say has contributed to escalating tensions and repeated clashes at the site.
Palestinian officials argue that Israel is attempting to alter the historical and religious status quo of East Jerusalem, particularly at Al-Aqsa, and to weaken its Arab and Islamic identity. Palestinians continue to claim East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, based on international resolutions that do not recognize Israel’s occupation or its later annexation of the city.
