Israeli Settlers Enter Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound, Raising Tensions in Jerusalem
Israeli settlers entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem on Wednesday, chanting slogans and songs inside its courtyards, according to Palestinian officials.
The Jerusalem Governorate released footage showing the group inside the mosque complex. Palestinian authorities said such incursions have continued regularly, with Israeli police allowing settler visits to the site on most days.
The Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs reported multiple incursions into Al-Aqsa during June, as Palestinians accuse Israeli authorities of increasing efforts to alter the character of East Jerusalem.
The incident came shortly after far-right Israeli lawmaker Tzvi Sukkot entered a Palestinian school in the Old City, damaged a sign displaying the school’s name and Palestinian flag, and called for the closure of similar institutions.
Palestinian officials and rights advocates condemned the actions, warning that growing pressure on religious and educational sites is deepening tensions in occupied East Jerusalem.
