Israeli settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque compound for Sukkot

Hundreds of Israeli settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem on Wednesday morning to mark the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, performing Talmudic rituals and prayers under heavy police protection, according to a Jerusalem Islamic Waqf official who spoke to Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity.

Violations of historical status

The official told Anadolu that the settlers entered the compound through the Mughrabi Gate accompanied by police officers, engaging in prayers, singing and dancing that contravene the site's established arrangements. Under the historical status quo predating Israel’s 1967 occupation, the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf — an institution affiliated with Jordan’s Ministry of Endowments — retains exclusive administrative authority over the 144-dunam (35.6-acre) site as a place of worship reserved solely for Muslims.

Surge during holiday season

The incursions have intensified since the start of the Jewish high holidays, with the Waqf documenting more than 1,500 settlers entering on Sunday, over 1,700 on Monday and at least 1,400 on Tuesday. Extremist right-wing groups had publicly called for large-scale gatherings throughout Sukkot, which began Saturday and runs through Friday, while Israeli police have unilaterally permitted such entries through the Mughrabi Gate since 2003 despite repeated Waqf demands to halt the practice.

Palestinian claims of Judaization

Palestinians regard East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state and cite international resolutions that do not recognize Israel’s 1967 occupation of the city or its 1980 annexation. They accuse Israeli authorities of intensifying decades-long measures aimed at Judaizing the occupied city and erasing its Arab and Islamic identity, particularly through repeated incursions into the Al-Aqsa compound.