During the Sukkot holiday, Israeli settlers entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem under police protection.. According to the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf, these incursions involved Talmudic rituals that violate the site's religious status quo.
The 1,700-person surge during Sukkot
The movement of settlers into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound has seen significant daily fluctuations throughout the Sukkot holiday, which runs from September 26 to October 2. As reported by the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf, over 1,500 individuals entered the compound on Sunday, followed by a peak of more than 1,700 on Monday. On Tuesday, the number remained high, with more than 1,400 settlers entering the site.
These groups, often acting under the protection of Israeli police, have engaged in various religious activities including dancing and the performance of Talmudic rituals . These actions occur during a period of heightened religious observance, following the Jewish New Year and Yom Kippur, further intensifying the friction at the site.
Violations of the 1967 religious status quo
The presence of these groups directly challenges the historical status quo that has governed the 144-dunam (approximately 14.4 hcetares) Al-Aqsa Mosque compound since before the 1967 occupation of East Jerusalem. This established arrangement stipulates that the site is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims.
The Jerusalem Islamic Waqf, an entity linked to Jordan's Ministry of Endowments, holds the exclusive responsibility for administering the affairs of the compound. By allowing non-Muslim rituals to take place within the grounds, the current situation is viewed by many as a fundamental breach of the administrative and religious protections meant to preserve the site's identity.
The Mughrabi Gate and the 2003 policy shift
A critical component of these incursions is the use of the Mughrabi Gate, located at the Al-Buraq Wall (Western Wall). Since 2003, Israeli police have unilaterally permitted settlers to enter the Al-Aqsa compound through this specific entrance, often accompanied by police officers to facilitate the movement.
This shift in enforceement has become a central point of contention.. Palestinians argue that these measures are part of a decades-long campaign of "Judaisation" aimed at erasing the Arab and Islamic identity of occupied East Jerusalem. This effort is seen as a direct threat to the vision of East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state, a claim supported by various international resolutions.
Unanswered calls from the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf
Despite the increasing frequency and scale of these incursions, the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf has made repeated calls to end these incursions, yet the report notes that Israeli authorities have not responded to these pleas.. this lack of communication leaves several critical questions regarding the future of the site's management.
Specifically, it remains unclear whether the Israeli government intends to uphold the 1967 status quo or if the current pattern of police-protected entries represents a permanent shift in policy. Furthermore, there is no clarity on how the international community or Jordan's Ministry of Endowments will respond to the continued performance of Talmudic rituals at the site.
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