JERUSALEM — Dozens of Israeli occupiers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem on Thursday morning under the protection of Israeli forces, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported .
Local sources said the occupiers entered the compound and publicly performed Talmudic rituals in its courtyards under Israeli protection, according to Wafa .
Turkish Foreign Ministry Condemns
The Turkish foreign ministry condemned the act in a statement posted on social media platform X .
“Such provocative acts, which violate the historical and legal status of Al-Aqsa Mosque as a holy site belonging to Muslims, risk further deepening tensions and instability in the region,” the statement read .
The statement ended with a call to protect the rights of Palestinians and prevent “violations in occupied East Jerusalem and against its holy sites” .
Context: Rising Escalation of Violations
According to Wafa, citing the Jerusalem Governorate, the incursion came amid an ongoing escalation of violations against Islamic and Christian holy sites in East Jerusalem, as well as continued restrictions on worshippers’ access to the mosque .
Israeli police have allowed occupiers to enter the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound daily, except Fridays and Saturdays, since 2003 .
In April alone, Israeli occupiers stormed the mosque 30 times , according to the Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs .
Ben-Gvir’s Visit Last Month
Last month, Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem under heavy police protection .
Ben-Gvir, who leads the Jewish Power party, has repeatedly made provocative visits to the site, which Palestinians and much of the international community view as a flagrant violation of the status quo .
The Holy Site: Competing Claims
Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world’s third-holiest site for Muslims .
Jews call the area the Temple Mount , claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times. The compound has been a focal point of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for decades .
Palestinian Concerns: Judaization of East Jerusalem
Palestinians say Israel has intensified efforts for decades to Judaize East Jerusalem , including Al-Aqsa Mosque, and erase the city’s Arab and Islamic identity .
Palestinians seek East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state , citing international resolutions that do not recognize Israel’s occupation of the city in 1967 or its annexation in 1980 .
Broader Context: Middle East War Escalation
The incursion comes amid the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran, now in its third month. The conflict has deepened instability across the Middle East, with tensions running high around holy sites as well as military fronts .
Turkey’s condemnation reflects the broader regional unease over Israeli actions in Jerusalem, with Ankara positioning itself as a vocal defender of Palestinian rights and Islamic holy sites .
International Law and the Status Quo
Under the Status Quo agreement governing the Temple Mount/Al-Aqsa compound, non-Muslims are permitted to visit but not to pray or perform religious rituals at the site . The Jordanian-appointed Islamic Waqf administers the compound .
Israel’s protection of Jewish worship and ritual performance at the site is widely viewed by Palestinians and many international observers as a violation of the longstanding arrangement .
