Jerusalem: The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem has once again become a focus of tension following reported visits by Jewish settlers under heavy Israeli police protection.
According to Palestinian and Jerusalem-based sources, at least 102 settlers entered the Al-Aqsa compound on Monday morning, including Rabbi Elisha Wolfson. The sources alleged that the visitors conducted provocative tours and performed religious rituals in the eastern section of the compound, opposite the Dome of the Rock.
The reported visits came on the third day of the Hebrew New Year, adding to concerns among Palestinian authorities and religious groups over activities at one of Islam’s holiest sites.
A day earlier, Israeli occupation police reportedly allowed around 593 settlers to enter the compound, while imposing tighter restrictions on Muslim worshippers seeking access to the site.
The Hamas Movement has condemned the reported activities and warned against what it described as escalating attempts by settlers to alter the “historical and legal status quo” at Al-Aqsa. Hamas accused Israel and settler groups of seeking to establish what it called a “new religious reality” at the holy site.
The Al-Aqsa compound remains one of the most sensitive religious and political sites in Jerusalem. Under the longstanding status quo arrangements, Muslims worship at the site, while non-Muslims may visit under specific conditions but are generally not permitted to conduct overt religious rituals.
Any changes to these arrangements have the potential to trigger wider religious and political tensions across Jerusalem and beyond.
The latest developments have once again raised concerns over the preservation of Al-Aqsa’s longstanding status quo and the possibility of further escalation in Jerusalem.