963 settlers stormed Al-Aqsa on the eve of Yom Kippur: Prayers, rituals, and "Kol Nidrei" inside the mosque
On the eve of Yom Kippur, the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Al-Buraq Wall, and the surrounding area saw a significant escalation in incursions and Jewish religious rituals. This occurred amid strict measures and restrictions on the entry and movement of Muslim worshippers, and at a time when expulsion orders barring Jerusalemites and Palestinians from the 1948 lands from accessing Al-Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem remain in effect.
This coincided with continuous incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque, where hundreds of settlers participated. During these visits, they engaged in collective and public prayers and religious rituals such as prayer, scripture reading, and prostration. They also clapped, sang, danced, whistled, and chanted. These actions occurred at various spots inside the mosque and along the entire path of the incursions.
Data from the Wadi Hilweh Information Center – Jerusalem shows that 963 settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque during Yom Kippur, with 767 in the morning and 196 in the afternoon. These visits included public religious rituals, a practice that has become more common during Jewish holidays.
Daily incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque, excluding Fridays and Saturdays, occur in two shifts through the Dung Gate: the first from 6:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and the second from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., with a strong police presence around the mosque and at its entrances.
Ben-Gvir’s 20th incursion: From mere entry to entrenching rituals and altering the landscape inside Al-Aqsa
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was among those who stormed the site today. During the evening incursion window, he stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque with settlers and police protection; he prayed in the mosque's eastern area and brought religious texts with him.
This is the 20th time Ben-Gvir has stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque since taking office in early 2023. These visits go beyond simple entry; they include actions, statements, and positions that promote expanding public Jewish rituals within Al-Aqsa.
In August 2024, during a previous incursion, Ben-Gvir expressed support for creating a synagogue within the Al-Aqsa Mosque, particularly in its eastern part. This area has recently become a regular site for settler prayers and educational activities held almost daily.
This coincided with police allowing settler groups to perform rituals and prayers in the eastern area, where they also installed a canopy for visitors about two months ago. This reflects the expanding facilities and privileges given to them inside the mosque.
These developments reflect a change in the Eastern Area's role: it has transitioned from just being part of routes during incursions to a space commonly used for prayers, rituals, and study circles, amid public appeals by "Temple" groups to enlarge the area allocated for Jewish prayer within Al-Aqsa.
In June 2025, Ben-Gvir stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque and prayed in multiple areas, walking through its courtyards. He claimed that settlers have the right to pray there. This happened despite an official ban on public Jewish prayer inside Al-Aqsa, with police typically intervening to stop activities like praying, standing, prostrating, singing, raising voices, and chanting the Israeli national anthem.
In May 2026, Ben-Gvir raised the Israeli flag inside Al-Aqsa Mosque during an incursion; scenes of the flag being raised inside the mosque subsequently became a near-weekly occurrence.
Recently, additional measures have been introduced, including allowing prayer sheets and religious books, as well as group prayers, singing hymns and chants loudly, prostration, and dancing—activities that had been prohibited in the mosque in prior years.
These changes have paralleled Ben-Gvir’s repeated incursions—happening on Jewish holidays, religious events, and regular days—and his expressed support for the demands of "Temple" groups. This reached a peak with his endorsement of allowing settlers access to Al-Aqsa Mosque on Saturdays, a stance outlined in a letter to the Israeli Supreme Court.
At present, Fridays and Saturdays are the only days without incursions into Al-Aqsa. The proposal to open the mosque on Saturdays aims to extend the incursion schedule to every day of the week.
Collective religious rituals inside Al-Aqsa
During today’s incursions, activities extended beyond simple entry into the mosque; they involved the public, collective practice of prayers and religious rituals—such as reading sacred texts, prostrating, clapping, singing, dancing, whistling, and chanting. Some groups were guided by rabbis, with the sounds of prayers and hymns growing louder as they moved through the mosque’s courtyards and corridors.
During these incursions, settlers also brought religious books and prayer sheets, indicating an increase in public Jewish religious activities within the mosque.
"Kol Nidre" Inside Al-Aqsa
One of the most notable activities observed on the eve of Yom Kippur was the public recitation of the "Kol Nidre" prayer inside Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Settlers documented a rabbi leading a group in the public, collective performance of the "Kol Nidre" prayer while they were storming the mosque and walking through its northern corridor.
According to their own posts, the settlers performed the prayer earlier than usual because the mosque is closed to Jews during the night hours.
The "Kol Nidre" prayer is usually recited in synagogues at sunset, signaling the start of Yom Kippur fasting and preceding the evening services. However, performing it inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque—especially during settler incursions and hours before its usual time—gives it special importance. This act transfers a Jewish Yom Kippur ritual from its traditional synagogue setting to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, where it is conducted openly and collectively.
This development aligns with ongoing requests from Jewish groups for increased space and greater freedom to carry out Jewish religious rituals within the mosque, along with repeated intrusions during Jewish holidays and observances.
Al-Aqsa for settlers... Restrictions on Muslims
In contrast, occupation authorities enforced strict restrictions on Muslim worshippers entering the Al-Aqsa Mosque and controlling their movement within and around the site during settler incursions.
Forces and officers at the mosque gates told Muslim worshippers to come back after 3:00 PM, once the second incursion period ended. During the incursions, some worshippers were also prevented from reaching the mosque entirely.
Regarding Al-Aqsa Mosque, its courtyards and prayer halls had very few Muslims because of restrictions, mostly elderly individuals. Police stationed at the site allocated seating areas—preventing them from sitting along settler routes or in zones that blocked their paths—and directed most worshippers into the covered prayer halls during settler visits.
These actions are part of a wider pattern of restrictions, bans, and expulsion orders recent weeks targeted at women, the elderly, young men, youths, religious figures, Waqf staff, journalists, Jerusalem residents, and Palestinians inside Israel.
During this time, the Wadi Hilweh Information Center recorded over 85 expulsion orders—spanning one week to six months—that prevent individuals from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem. This has occurred alongside a growth in public Jewish rituals within the mosque complex, while access for Muslim worshippers becomes more restricted.
The Al-Buraq Wall: Large-scale prayers and closures in the Old City
Alongside events at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Western Wall has experienced significant prayer sessions and religious gatherings over recent days to observe Jewish holidays, with increased security and street closures in the nearby area.
Yesterday evening, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joined ministers, Knesset members, officials, and public figures in prayers at the Western Wall, part of the religious observances on the eve of Yom Kippur. The site has seen daily prayers and religious gatherings for the past ten days.
The Old City and the area near the Wall experienced a significant police presence and road closures as large crowds gathered for the prayers.
Israeli sources state that around 150,000 individuals took part in the last large "Selichot" prayer event at the Western Wall on Saturday evening, with Netanyahu, ministers, rabbis, and Israeli officials in attendance.
