This picture shows a view of the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex with its Dome of the Rock mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City, with an Israeli flag in the Arab town of al-Tur in Israel-annexed east Jerusalem, May 22, 2026. (AFP)
LONDON: Israeli settler groups stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem on 23 occasions in May, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs.
Thousands of Israeli settlers entered the site through the Moroccan Gate, which is controlled by Israeli authorities that simultaneously imposed restrictions on access for Palestinians during these tours.
The largest group of settlers entered the compound on May 14, consisting of 1,400 individuals, including ministers, Knesset members, and Israeli far-right activists, according to the Palestine News Agency.
The ministry warned of an increase in Jewish religious rituals performed by settlers in the courtyards of Al-Aqsa, including prayers, prostrations, singing, dancing, and raising Israeli flags.
Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam’s third-holiest site, is frequently the site of clashes, including raids by settlers and restrictions on Muslim worshippers, since East Jerusalem was occupied in June 1967. The site is administered by Jordan’s Ministry of Awqaf, which holds the legal authority to manage the compound and control access.
Israeli settlers, who refer to the area as Temple Mount, want to establish a presence in the compound to perform Jewish prayers at certain times. Several senior Israeli lawmakers, including the far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, have publicly endorsed these plans.
Agencies
Jewish settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem 23 times in May
