LONDON: Hundreds of Israeli settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the walled city of occupied East Jerusalem on Wednesday.
The Jerusalem governorate said that 508 settlers entered the site, accompanied by Israeli forces, and performed Jewish rituals, including “epic prostration,” near Bab Al-Rahma and the Dome of the Rock, according to the Wafa news agency.
The Al-Aqsa compound, Islam’s third-holiest site, also known as Al-Haram Al-Sharif, has been the site of frequent conflicts — including raids by Israeli settlers and restrictions on Muslim worshippers — since East Jerusalem was occupied in June 1967.
The area is administered by Jordan’s Ministry of Awqaf, which holds the legal authority to manage the compound and control access. It was reopened to Muslim worshippers early in April after being closed for 40 days due to the US and Israel’s war on Iran.
Itamar Ben-Gvir, a prominent settler and Israel’s far-right national security minister, has repeatedly called for greater access to it for Jewish worshippers. Since taking office in 2023, he has stormed the site at least 15 times, sparking anger and condemnation.
