Israeli settlers escorted by police into Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque compound

Israeli settlers, escorted and protected by Israeli police forces, entered the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem on Thursday, according to local Palestinian sources. The official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that the settlers moved through the courtyards in groups, conducting what were described as provocative tours and performing Talmudic rituals near Islamic holy sites. This incident follows a similar incursion on Tuesday, where Palestinian officials reported 182 settlers forcing their way into the flashpoint area.

A pattern of increasing access

These are not isolated events but part of a documented increase in access to the site by Israeli settlers. According to official Palestinian figures from the Jerusalem Governorate, a total of 4,266 Israeli settlers entered the mosque compound during the month of November alone. The same data indicated that approximately 15,000 foreign tourists also accessed the site through gates operated by the Israeli authorities. The regular occurrence of such escorted visits, particularly those involving non-Muslim religious rituals, is a major point of tension and is viewed by Palestinians and much of the Muslim world as a violation of the sanctity of the site and a step toward altering its status.

The disputed status of Jerusalem and al-Aqsa

The al-Aqsa Mosque compound, known to Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary), is Islam's third holiest site. Jews refer to the area as the Temple Mount, believing it to be the location of two ancient Jewish temples. The site is administered by an Islamic trust, or Waqf, under Jordanian custodianship, while Israel controls overall security. Israel captured East Jerusalem, including the Old City and the mosque compound, during the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it in a move never recognized by the international community. This fundamental dispute over sovereignty lies at the heart of the conflict, making any perceived change to the status quo at the site highly inflammatory.

Regional reactions and Türkiye's consistent stance

Such incidents regularly draw swift condemnation from across the Muslim world. For Türkiye, which holds the defense of Palestinian rights and the protection of Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem as core tenets of its foreign policy, these actions are seen as deliberate provocations. Turkish leaders and the Directorate of Religious Affairs have consistently denounced attempts to alter the historical and legal status of al-Aqsa, viewing them as threats to regional stability and an affront to the global Muslim community. Türkiye's position reinforces its role as a vocal advocate for the Palestinian cause and for the preservation of Jerusalem's Islamic character.