Palestinian officials report 765 illegal Israeli settlers at Al-Aqsa, second day of Passover
Israeli security forces standing guard as Al-Aqsa Mosque seen in the background in Jerusalem, accessed on Oct. 22, 2024. (AFP Photo)
Hundreds of Israeli settlers entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem on Monday under heavy police protection, according to Palestinian officials, marking the second consecutive day of such incursions during the Jewish Passover holiday.
The Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem reported that 765 settlers accessed the flashpoint site in groups through the Al-Mugharbah Gate area, west of the mosque. The department noted that approximately 500 settlers had entered the compound the previous day, coinciding with the first day of Passover celebrations.
Passover, which commemorates the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt during the time of Prophet Moses, is considered one of the most important holidays on the Jewish religious calendar.
The Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs stated that settlers raided the mosque 21 times during the previous month, when Muslims were observing the holy month of Ramadan. Data from the Jerusalem governor’s office further indicated that 13,064 settlers entered the mosque compound during the first quarter of 2025.
Since 2003, Israel has permitted settlers to enter the compound almost daily, with the exception of Fridays and Saturdays.
The Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third-holiest site in Islam. The same area is referred to by Jews as the “Temple Mount,” which they claim was the location of two ancient Jewish temples. The site remains a major flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Israel invaded East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War and subsequently annexed the entire city in 1980 — a move that has never been recognized by the international community.
