On Thursday, more than 2,500 Israeli settlers, led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and accompanied by Likud Knesset member Amit Halevi, entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem under heavy police escort. The incursion, which coincided with the Jewish fast day of Tisha B’Av, saw participants perform Talmudic rituals including full prostration and group prayer, raise Israeli flags, and sing the national anthem in front of the Dome of the Rock. Israeli authorities had increased the permitted group size to approximately 150 settlers and imposed strict restrictions on Palestinian access to the Old City and the mosque gates, with only a small number of worshippers able to enter for dawn prayers before security forces assaulted several of them, according to the Palestinian Authority’s Jerusalem Governorate.

The Governorate described the event as a “dangerous escalation” and a “blatant violation” of the historical and legal status quo governing the site, warning that Ben-Gvir’s participation marked a shift from attacks by extremist groups to the official adoption of such practices by the Israeli government. Jordan’s foreign ministry condemned the incursion as a desecration and an unacceptable provocation, calling on the international community to pressure Israel to halt what it termed ongoing violations at Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem. Hamas stated that the provocation would not weaken Palestinian determination to defend their rights and warned that such actions would backfire on the occupation.

The Al-Aqsa compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, is Islam’s third-holiest site and the most sacred site in Judaism. Under a decades-old arrangement, it is administered by a Jordanian religious foundation, with Jews permitted to visit but not to pray. The status quo has repeatedly been a trigger for violence. Viewed from Amman, the incursion challenges Jordan’s custodial role and risks broader regional instability. The Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem reported that settler groups sought to bring up to 5,000 participants into the compound throughout the day, framing the incursion as part of a systematic effort to divide the mosque temporally and spatially. Analysts in London note that the presence of a cabinet minister leading the incursion, combined with the open performance of religious rituals, represents a significant departure from past practice, where such acts were typically carried out by fringe settler groups without overt state backing.

The Palestinian presidency called on the international community to assume its responsibilities and take decisive action to halt unilateral Israeli measures, reiterating that the entire 144-dunam compound is an exclusive place of worship for Muslims and that any attempt to alter its identity is null and void. The Jerusalem Governorate warned that continued violations could have consequences for regional security and stability. No immediate unrest was reported, but the situation remains tense. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not immediately comment, though previous visits by Ben-Gvir have prompted statements that the status quo policy remains unchanged. The international response is being closely watched, with Arab and Islamic nations urged to adopt firm positions.