1639 settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque in one week amid escalating public prayers and expulsion orders
Israeli violations at the Al-Aqsa Mosque persist, amid increasing expulsion orders targeting worshippers and those remaining stationed at the mosque.
Last week, between Sunday and Thursday, 1,639 settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The peak was on Wednesday, with 677 settlers, coinciding with the start of the Hebrew month.
The settlers conducted prayers and public rituals inside the mosque. All Al-Aqsa courtyards showed scenes of group prayers, chanting, and singing during the incursions, which start at the Dung Gate, move through the Al-Qibli prayer hall and the eastern area, then along the northern route to the western arcades, and finally exit through the Al-Silsileh Gate.
Inside the mosque, the sounds of singing echo, and scenes of "mass prostration" recur, as settlers hold public group prayers at various spots overlooking the Dome of the Rock. These incursions occur daily, excluding Fridays and Saturdays, with heavy protection from occupation police through the Dung Gate, whose keys have been held by occupation authorities since they occupied Jerusalem in 1967.
In comparison, occupation authorities restrict Muslim access to Al-Aqsa Mosque by maintaining a continuous police presence at its gates and implementing stricter entry procedures, particularly during morning and afternoon incursions. Police officers halt men, women, and children, verify their IDs, and ask about their places of residence.
Arrests persist at the entrances of Al-Aqsa Mosque and its nearby areas, accompanied by expulsion orders from the mosque and the Old City.
Last week, police detained a woman at Al-Aqsa's gates for supposedly breaching an expulsion order from the mosque. Subsequently, they banned her from the Old City for three months. Additionally, two young men from the Old City received expulsion orders.
Similarly, Saif Abu Jum’a was issued a one-week ban from Al-Aqsa Mosque, with the possibility of extending the restriction for several months. Murad Alayan also received a one-week expulsion order from Al-Aqsa, which can be renewed, along with a six-month travel ban and a prohibition from entering the West Bank.
The Israeli occupation authorities also issued a decision banning Areen Za'aneen from Al-Aqsa Mosque for four months.
These events align with growing Israeli efforts to alter the status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque. Officials from the Likud party, including ministers and Knesset members, gathered at a conference organized by the so-called "Temple Mount Administration" in Jerusalem. They advocated for increased incursions and additional modifications within the mosque. The conference aimed to celebrate what organizers called "a decade of positive change" at Al-Aqsa and marked 59 years since East Jerusalem's occupation.
As reported by Yediot Aharonot, ministers, Knesset members, and settlers have initiated a public campaign urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to alter the status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque. They want Jews to be able to enter and pray there throughout the day. This initiative highlights the increasing Israeli effort to modify the current situation at Al-Aqsa Mosque and establish new facts on the ground.
