Tensions flared in Jerusalem on Monday after groups of Israeli settlers entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound under heavy police protection and performed Talmudic rituals, according to reports from Al Jazeera and Palestinian officials.
The incident comes amid mounting friction over access to the flashpoint holy site.
Witnesses said settlers were escorted by Israeli security forces as they moved through the compound, known to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif and to Jews as the Temple Mount. Palestinian worshippers were reportedly restricted from accessing certain areas, fueling anger and condemnation from religious authorities.
The Palestinian Authority’s Jerusalem Governorate accused Israel of carrying out secret excavations and demolitions beneath the compound. In a statement, it said the operations deliberately target Islamic antiquities dating back to the Umayyad period (661–750), which serve as evidence of Muslim ties to the site. Officials warned that Israel aims to erase Islamic heritage in preparation for constructing a future Jewish temple.
“These excavations are a crime and a blatant violation of international laws and agreements protecting cultural and religious sites,” the authority said. Palestinian leaders have called on the international community to intervene to safeguard the mosque.
The Al-Aqsa compound is one of the most sensitive sites in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Under a longstanding arrangement, Jews are allowed to visit but not pray there, though Palestinian officials argue this status quo is increasingly undermined. Incursions by settlers often trigger clashes and inflame tensions across the occupied West Bank.
Regional powers, including Jordan — custodian of Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem — have repeatedly warned Israel against altering the site’s delicate balance.
