JERUSALEM: Extremist settlers stormed the courtyards of the al-Aqsa Mosque/al-Haram al-Sharif in occupied Jerusalem on Thursday. The group entered through the Magharbeh Gate under heavy protection from Israeli occupation police, sparking tensions at the sacred site.
According to Jordan News Agency, the Jerusalem Islamic Endowments Department reported that dozens of settlers participated in the incursion. The group toured the courtyards and performed “provocative Talmudic rituals,” actions that have been criticized by Palestinian officials and religious leaders as inflammatory.
During the incursion, access to the al-Aqsa Mosque was restricted for worshipers, who were prevented from entering through its external gates. This measure was implemented to secure the area for the settlers’ activities, a practice that has been a contentious point in the ongoing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians over religious rights and sovereignty in Jerusalem.
The al-Aqsa Mosque, a site sacred to both Muslims and Jews, has frequently been at the center of tensions in the region. Incidents like the one reported raise concerns about potential escalations in violence and the broader implications for peace efforts in the Middle East. The site is administered by the Islamic Waqf, a Jordanian religious body, while Israeli forces control security, a situation that often leads to diplomatic strain between Jordan and Israel.