Full Breakdown
Ben-Gvir Leads Israeli Incursion into Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On the third day of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, Israel’s national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir led a heavily guarded march of hundreds of Israelis into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem. Police closed surrounding intersections and streets, allowing the group to enter the courtyards where they danced and sang. The Jerusalem governorate reported that roughly 900 people entered the site in the morning.
Background & Context
Since 2003, Israeli police have permitted groups of Israelis to make daily incursions into the Al-Aqsa compound, except on Fridays and Saturdays, while often restricting Palestinian worshippers. During the same period, Israeli authorities limited access for Muslims, including preventing Eid al-Fitr prayers at the site and permitting only 10,000 Palestinians from the occupied West Bank to attend the first Friday prayers of Ramadan. The current incursion occurred amid broader restrictions that forced dozens of Palestinian shop owners in the Old City’s Cotton Merchants Market to close their businesses to accommodate Jewish prayers for Sukkot.
Official Statements & Responses
The Association for Civil Rights in Israel condemned the forced closure of Palestinian shops and restaurants, stating that the measures were imposed to make way for Jewish prayers. Palestinian presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh labeled the incursion “playing with fire” and warned it could spark a “religious war” in the region.
Data & Statistics
- Approximately 900 Israelis entered the Al-Aqsa compound during the morning raid.
- Dozens of Palestinian shop, café, and restaurant owners were compelled to close in the Old City’s market.
- Only 10,000 Palestinians were allowed to attend the first Friday prayers of Ramadan after earlier restrictions on Eid al-Fitr worship at the site.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We are the owners of the place in Al-Aqsa and in the prisons, and we have turned the lives of terrorist prisoners into hell,” — Itamar Ben-Gvir, national security minister