OCCUPIED JERUSALEM (Palestine Foundation Information Center) Dozens of Israeli settlers, led by far-right former Knesset member rabbi Yehuda Glick, stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Thursday morning, under the protection of Israeli occupation police forces.
According to the Jerusalem Governorate, 134 settlers stormed the holy site in groups through the Al-Maghariba Gate, accompanied by Glick and shielded by heavily armed police officers.
Witnesses reported that settlers performed Talmudic rituals inside the Mosque’s courtyards, with some engaging in what observers described as “provocative prostrations.”
The incursion is part of a growing trend of settler activity inside the compound, which is considered a flashpoint in the occupied city.
Glick, a prominent advocate for changing the status quo at Al-Aqsa, has long pushed for increased Jewish access to the site, a move widely viewed by Palestinians and much of the international community as an act of provocation.
On Wednesday, Israeli authorities reopened the Hatta and Al-Silsila gates leading to the Old City, allowing only Palestinians over the age of 65 to access Al-Aqsa. That same evening, the Mosque was cleared of worshippers after prayers, and all gates were sealed. The two entrances were reopened at dawn Thursday, but restrictions remain in place.
The Israeli occupation had closed the Mosque entirely since last Friday, blocking Palestinians from praying there and imposing strict security measures throughout the Old City. Palestinian residents have faced repeated harassment and movement restrictions, particularly around the Mosque’s entrances.
These actions are seen as part of a broader campaign by Israeli authorities to assert control over the site and restrict Palestinian access, especially during politically sensitive periods.
