Full Breakdown
Israeli Settlers and Officials Storm Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound During Sukkot
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Background: Status-quo Rules and the Sukkot Holiday
The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, also known as al-Haram al-Sharif, is administered exclusively by the Islamic Waqf Department under a long-standing status-quo that reserves worship for Muslims. Israeli authorities routinely restrict Palestinian access while allowing limited Jewish visits, except on Fridays and Saturdays. The Jewish holidays began with Rosh HaShanah on September 12-13, followed by Yom Kippur later in September, and Sukkot runs from September 26 to October 2, after which Simchat Torah is observed on October 3.
Official Statements & Responses
Palestinian presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh warned that the raid was “playing with fire” and could spark a “religious war” in the region. The Jerusalem governorate reported that Israeli police closed surrounding streets and intersections to facilitate the entry of hundreds of Israelis, including former lawmaker Moshe Feiglin, who performed Jewish rituals inside the courtyards.
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
Data & Statistics
- The Jerusalem governorate estimated about 700 Israelis entered the compound under police protection on one occasion, while another report cited 900 people entering in the morning of a separate raid.
- Israeli police protected roughly 1,500 settlers who staged an incursion through the Mughrabi Gate.
- The al-Quds Governorate recorded 40,661 settler incursions into Al-Aqsa between January and the end of August.
These events mark a sharp escalation of tensions around one of the world’s most contested religious sites during a period of heightened religious observance.