Storming Al-Aqsa on Friday with "sacrifices and Torah rituals"
On Friday, settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque via the Al-Ghawanmeh Gate to observe what they refer to as the "Shavuot” or “Descent of the Torah."
The Wadi Hilweh Information Center in Jerusalem stated that 10 settlers forcibly pushed the guard at the gate and attacked him. They then proceeded towards the Dome of the Rock, carrying a "vegetable offering" made up of bread, wine, and a blood-stained cloth—symbols used by extremist groups on the Temple Mount to imitate ritual sacrifices linked to the alleged Temple.
One of the settlers was dressed in priestly robes used for prayers and sacrifices.
During the guards' efforts to stop them, a settler assaulted a guard by pushing and hitting him. Al-Aqsa guards and worshippers managed to encircle the settlers before Israeli police detained them and led them out through the King Faisal Gate. The Feast of Weeks (Shavuot/the Descent of the Torah) is a religious holiday during which Temple Mount groups often escalate their calls to storm Al-Aqsa Mosque, because the holiday is historically associated with offering firstfruits and sacrifices at the Temple, as described in the biblical narrative.
This incident marks a serious escalation in the violations at Al-Aqsa Mosque, occurring on a Friday when the occupation authorities typically close the gates to settler incursions. Additionally, the intruders brought items used for sacrifices or rituals and tried to conduct religious rites related to what Temple Mount groups refer to as the "altar."
Escalating attempts to introduce sacrifices and biblical rituals into Al-Aqsa Mosque
October 2024: Trumpet blowing and prostration inside Al-Aqsa
In October 2024, two settlers entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque on a Friday via the al-Qattanin Gate, wearing tallit (prayer shawls). They moved towards the southern section between the Al-Qibli and Al-Marwani prayer halls, conducted public prayers, then blew a shofar (ram's horn) and prostrated themselves in the mosque's courtyards. This was one of the most serious incidents documented at that time.
May 2025: Animal sacrifice introduced into the Mosque
In a dangerous precedent, a settler, accompanied by several other settlers, managed to enter the Al-Aqsa Mosque through the Al-Ghawanmeh Gate carrying an animal sacrifice—a small goat—and performed religious rituals, including prayer and prostration, within the mosque's courtyards.
June 2025: Ritual items for the Feast of Shavuot
In June 2025, during the Feast of Shavuot, four settlers entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque. They reached the northern side of the Dome of the Rock, carrying a bag with a cup of wine, bread, and a piece of cloth that seemed to bear traces of blood. This act appeared to mimic religious rituals that Temple Mount groups associate with the altar.
November 2025: Goats and doves in bags
In November 2025, eight settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound through the Lions' Gate, carrying animal sacrifices consisting of a young goat and three doves hidden inside bags.
May 2026: Mass incursion attempt through the Hutta Gate
In early May 2026, 21 settlers tried to storm the Al-Aqsa Mosque via the Hutta Gate on a Friday. They quickly bypassed the iron barrier set up by Israeli police at the entrance, carrying bags with offerings and religious books. This event occurred during what is called the "Second/Little Passover."
These incidents show how Temple Mount groups have moved from simply conducting incursions and public prayers to repeatedly attempting to bring in offerings and ritual items associated with the Temple, marking an ongoing escalation at Al-Aqsa Mosque.
These recurring incidents suggest an escalation in efforts to enforce Torah rituals within the Al-Aqsa Mosque, particularly during religious holidays and special occasions. There are concerns that treating these violations as isolated incidents overlooks the pattern of repeated attempts to bring sacrifices and hold public prayers inside the mosque, which threatens the historical and legal status quo of Al-Aqsa.
