Israeli settlers enter Al-Aqsa Mosque under police protection

Approximately 182 Israeli settlers entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem on Tuesday under the protection of Israeli police, Palestinian authorities reported. The Jerusalem Governorate stated that the settlers conducted morning and evening incursions, performing Talmudic rituals near the Dome of the Rock, the mosque's iconic shrine, within the highly sensitive compound.

A pattern of increased access and tourism

The Palestinian statement also noted that 778 foreign tourists entered the mosque complex through a gate controlled by Israeli authorities on the same day. This continues a pattern of increased access; official figures show that 4,266 settlers and around 15,000 foreign tourists accessed the site throughout November. Such entries are a persistent source of tension, as they are seen by Palestinians and many Muslims worldwide as a violation of the site's sanctity and the existing status quo arrangements.

The status of Jerusalem and international law

Al-Aqsa Mosque is Islam's third holiest site, known to Jews as the Temple Mount. Israel occupied East Jerusalem, including the mosque compound, during the 1967 war and annexed the entire city in 1980—a move not recognized by the vast majority of the international community. The administration of the site remains a deeply contentious issue, with Jordan's Waqf retaining religious authority under arrangements that limit non-Muslim worship, which Israeli nationalists frequently challenge.

Ongoing tensions and the risk of escalation

These incursions, facilitated by Israeli security forces, are widely perceived as provocative acts that undermine Palestinian sovereignty and religious rights in Jerusalem. They frequently spark protests and condemnation across the Muslim world and have the potential to trigger wider violence. The incidents underscore the fragile and contested nature of the city and the continued erosion of the pre-1967 status quo governing holy sites.