Ben-Gvir joins hundreds of Israelis to storm Al-Aqsa Mosque compound

What the report says

Hundreds of Israelis entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem on Monday under police protection, according to Al Jazeera, with far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir among those present. The report said the incursion took place on the third day of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot and that police closed nearby roads and intersections around the Old City to facilitate access.

Al Jazeera cited the Jerusalem governorate as saying around 900 people entered the compound in the morning, where some reportedly danced and sang in the courtyards. Ben-Gvir used the visit to make a forceful political statement, declaring Jewish ownership of the site and saying Israelis were praying there as part of what he described as a path to “absolute victory.”

The report said Palestinian shopkeepers and residents in surrounding areas were also affected, with some businesses forced to close and people told to stay indoors near the mosque. The Association for Civil Rights in Israel said dozens of shops, cafes and restaurants in the Cotton Merchants Market were closed during the holiday to make way for Jewish prayers. Palestinian presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh condemned the move as a dangerous provocation and warned it could inflame tensions.

More broadly, Al-Aqsa is one of the most sensitive religious and political sites in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israeli police have allowed repeated Jewish visits to the compound since 2003, while Palestinian worshippers often face restrictions, especially during major religious periods.