A blatant violation of the status quo: Al-Aqsa Mosque is in the grip of settlers' field control
On Sunday morning, Al-Aqsa Mosque became the scene of organized and serious violations to commemorate the so-called "Destruction of the Temple." Hundreds of settlers stormed the mosque under heavy protection from the occupation forces. They performed public prayers and Talmudic rituals throughout the mosque, including the eastern and southern courtyards, as well as the western area, where Israeli flags were raised and religious hymns were chanted for the occasion.
Settler cameras captured the participation of current and former ministers and members of the Knesset in the incursions, leading groups of settlers during the rituals. This is a flagrant violation of the status quo inside Al-Aqsa Mosque. Palestinian worshippers are completely prevented from entering the mosque, and a strict siege is imposed on the entire Old City.
The day at Al-Aqsa Mosque unfolded amid serious violations that were not limited to the record numbers of intruders, but also affected the sanctity of the site and its Islamic identity.
A significant increase in the number of those storming Al-Aqsa Mosque on the anniversary of the so-called "Destruction of the Temple" (the "Fast of July 17th").
The number of extremist settlers who stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque on this day reached 3,969, distributed over two periods of the incursion:
• 2,953 intruders during the morning period (from 7:00 to 11:30 a.m.)
• 1,016 intruders during the afternoon period (from 1:30 to 3:15 p.m.)
The Wadi Hilweh Information Center in Jerusalem explained that this number represents a significant increase compared to previous years, as the number of intruders on the same day in previous years reached:
2,958 settlers in 2024
2,180 settlers in 2023
2,201 settlers in 2022
Raids including ministers and Knesset members
The Wadi Hilweh Information Center in Jerusalem stated that successive groups of settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque through the Dung Gate, whose keys have been controlled by the occupation authorities since the occupation of Jerusalem.
As with all Jewish holidays and religious occasions, police allow large numbers of settlers and successive groups to enter Al-Aqsa Mosque at the same time. Late last week, police announced that they would allow a group of settlers to enter Al-Aqsa every 10 minutes, with six groups at a time, dispersed throughout the mosque.
This was reflected on the ground since the morning hours, when police allowed large groups of settlers, each group comprising more than 80 extremists, to storm the mosque. This was followed by five more groups, filling the Al-Aqsa Mosque with settlers in all its courtyards and corridors, with the sounds of prayers, singing, clapping, and chants rising. Among those who stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque today were: Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir; Minister of the Development of the Negev and the Galilee Yitzhak Wasserlauf; Deputy Foreign Minister and Member of Knesset Sharan Haskel; Member of Knesset Amit Halevy; Osher Shikalim; and former Member of Knesset Shuli Muallem. They performed public and collective prayers inside the mosque, and some participated by raising Israeli flags.
Serious and public violations under police protection
Al-Aqsa Mosque witnessed several serious violations today, the most prominent of which were:
• The reading of the "Scroll of Lamentations" in the eastern area of Al-Aqsa Mosque. This is a Jewish religious text consisting of five chapters that is recited on the ninth of Av (the so-called Day of the Destruction of the Temple).
• Public Jewish prayers, dancing, singing, wailing, clapping, and collective rituals were performed in various parts of the mosque from the moment they stormed through the Dung Gate. Groups of settlers marched through the courtyard of the Al-Qibli and Al-Marwani prayer halls, reaching the eastern area, then crossed the northern road (Lions Gate, Hutta Gate, and King Faisal Gate) before turning toward the western arcades, passing through al-Qattanin Gate, until they exited through al-Silsileh Gate. At every point overlooking the Dome of the Rock, the settlers paused to perform their various religious rituals amid dancing, singing, shouting, and clapping.
• Public and collective prayers were performed in new areas within Al-Aqsa Mosque, most notably the courtyard between the Al-Qibli and Al-Marwani prayer halls.
• Collective raising of Israeli flags and prayers, with the participation of Knesset members.
• The presence of more than 900 settlers in Al-Aqsa Mosque at one time, distributed across several areas of the mosque.
• Dozens of settlers placed tefillin wrappings on their arms and foreheads. Tefillin are ritual tools used in daily prayers. They consist of black leather boxes containing hand-written notes with verses from the Torah. They are tied around the arms and foreheads and are typically used for synagogues. Today, police allowed settlers to bring them into Al-Aqsa Mosque and use them during prayers inside.
• Dozens of settlers placed tallit shawls on their shoulders and prayed publicly inside Al-Aqsa Mosque. Tallit shawls are sacred Jewish coverings worn during prayers as a symbol of purity and religious commitment.
• At the outer gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque, settlers prayed and raised Israeli flags and flags of the alleged Temple.
Arresting three guards
Occupation forces arrested three guards from Al-Aqsa Mosque: Ahmed Abu Aliya, Mohammad Tina, and Mohammad Badran.
A siege on the Old City and prior incitement
The occupation authorities imposed a comprehensive siege on the Old City, deploying forces at all gates, especially the Lions, Herods, and Damascus gates, and placed iron barriers, preventing Palestinians from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Over the past week, the Temple Organizations Union, activists, and extremist organizations issued calls and announcements for the largest-ever incursion into Al-Aqsa Mosque on this anniversary, setting a record for the number of intruders. Umbrellas were also set up in the lower courtyard in front of the entrance to the Dung Gate bridge to receive crowds of settlers as they waited for the incursion.
For his part, the commander of the so-called "David Zone" of the Israeli police in the Old City, Lieutenant Colonel Dvir Tamim, sent a message of reassurance and encouragement to the Union of Temple Organizations, welcoming the influx of settlers and pledging to provide them with security and all necessary facilities for their incursion. The message described the intruders as "pilgrims," implying that the Israeli police approved of the performance of religious rituals inside Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Evening marches and an attack at dawn
Late yesterday evening, a march commemorating the anniversary of the destruction of the Temple set off from Mamilla Square in western Jerusalem, passing through New Gate, Damascus Gate, and Herods Gate, arriving at Lions Gate, where speeches were delivered. The settlers then continued their march to Al-Buraq Square.
Thousands of settlers performed their prayers at the Al-Buraq Wall, at the outer gates of al-Aqsa Mosque, and in al-Ghazali Square, amid a complete closure of the area.
During the dawn prayer, settlers spit and verbally abused worshippers arriving at al-Aqsa, under heavy protection from occupation forces.
11 raids by Ben-Gvir since his appointment... and imposing control over al-Aqsa
In a statement at al-Aqsa, extremist minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said: "We are thinking about building the Temple, about sovereignty, and about governance. Mourning is not enough. We have done it in many places, and we will do it in Gaza as well."
The Wadi Hilweh Information Center noted that National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir had declared, on the anniversary of the so-called "Destruction of the Temple" in August of last year, that he intended to build a synagogue inside Al-Aqsa Mosque, affirming the right of Jews to pray there and rejecting any restrictions on prayer within it. Since then, settlers have been permitted to pray publicly and collectively inside Al-Aqsa.
Last June, Minister Ben-Gvir stormed Al-Aqsa and publicly demanded that settlers be allowed to pray throughout the mosque without objection.
Ben-Gvir's statements and demands were clearly and explicitly translated into Al-Aqsa during settler incursions, in a blatant violation of the historical and legal status quo.
The Wadi Hilweh Information Center in Jerusalem explained that Ben-Gvir has stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque 11 times since his appointment as minister: three times in 2023, four times in 2024, and three times so far in 2025. This is the seventh such incursion since October 7, 2023, a clear indication of the exploitation of Jewish religious occasions to assert sovereignty over Al-Aqsa Mosque.
