JERUSALEM, 24 August. - (ANA) - Israeli settlers carried out Jewish rituals at the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Sunday with the official consent of Israeli authorities, marking a major escalation in the erosion of the status quo governing the holy site.

 

Jewish extremists have regularly carried out raids on the Muslim holy site; however, they are officially prevented from bringing in prayer books and openly performing rituals.

 

Israeli police said that the Jewish worshippers were allowed to enter the site with the prayer books, or siddurim, in accordance with instructions from the political leadership, Haaretz reported on Sunday.

 

Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who has overseen an escalation of settler raids on Al-Aqsa, confirmed to The Jerusalem Post that the Jewish extremists were allowed to enter the site with their prayer books.

 

Settler activist Arnon Segal posted photos of the prayers to X, with the caption: "This morning on the Temple Mount: Jews praying with siddurim. Still no blanket permit but an initial experiment aimed at ensuring the Middle East doesn't lose its mind over this. History".

 

The pictures showed Jewish settlers praying at the site and laying towels on the ground, indicating that prostrations were also performed.

 

Palestinian officials and representatives of the Islamic Waqf described the raid as an escalation and a departure from previous infringements on the site, which were done with the tacit permission of Israeli authorities.

 

Under the Status Quo agreement governing the holy sites in Jerusalem, worship at the Al-Aqsa Mosque is exclusively for Muslims, with Jews permitted to pray at the Buraq Wall (Western Wall).

 

Jewish extremists have long sought to undermine this agreement by carrying out prayers and rituals at the site, with long-term plans to demolish the Al-Aqsa Mosque to make way for a Jewish temple.

 

Ben-Gvir, who is also a settler, has long supported the settler raids on Al-Aqsa and has called for the annexation of the entire occupied West Bank. -(ANA) -

 

AB/ANA/24 August 2026 - - -