Over 220 Israeli settlers enter Al-Aqsa during Jewish holiday

Settler Visits to Al-Aqsa Draw Fresh Concern During Religious Holiday

Thebangladaily.com – More than 220 Israeli settlers entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem on Wednesday, September 30, during a Jewish religious holiday, intensifying concern over access restrictions at one of the city’s most sensitive religious sites.

The Islamic Waqf authority in Al-Quds said Israeli forces escorted the group into the compound while Palestinian worshippers faced limits on their ability to enter. The visits took place inside the mosque’s courtyards under police protection, where settlers carried out Talmudic religious rituals.

Former Israeli Knesset member Moshe Feiglin was among those who entered the site. His presence drew added attention because of the long-running political and religious disputes surrounding Al-Aqsa and the wider Old City of Jerusalem.

Restrictions on Palestinian Worshippers

Access to the compound has repeatedly become a central point of tension, particularly during religious holidays, major prayers and periods of heightened political unrest. Palestinian worshippers view Al-Aqsa as a vital place of religious practice and community life, while Israeli security measures and settler visits are often seen as changing the atmosphere around the site.

The Waqf authority said the security escort for the settlers coincided with restrictions imposed on Palestinians seeking to pray at the mosque. Such measures can affect who is permitted to enter, how long worshippers remain inside and the movement of residents through the surrounding area.

For Palestinians in Jerusalem, access to Al-Aqsa is not only a religious matter but also a question tied to daily life, identity and their relationship with the city. Any change in entry rules or policing around the compound can therefore carry consequences well beyond a single visit.

Thousands of Entries Recorded This Year

Figures released by the occupied Al-Quds Governorate show that more than 40,000 Israeli settlers entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex from January through August 2026. The number highlights the scale and regularity of such visits over the first eight months of the year.

During the same broader period, roughly 800 Jerusalem residents were issued orders barring them from the compound or were expelled from it between the start of the year and early September. These orders have raised fears among Palestinian residents that restrictions on their presence at the mosque are becoming increasingly common.

The contrasting figures have sharpened debate over who is able to access the site and under what conditions. Settler entries are conducted with Israeli police protection, while Palestinians have faced bans and other restrictions that can prevent them from attending prayers at a place of major spiritual importance.

Concern Over the Site’s Islamic Identity

Palestinian religious figure Sheikh Ali Al-Youssef condemned the growing frequency of settler visits. He described them as part of an organized effort intended to alter Al-Aqsa’s Islamic identity and advance the Judaization of occupied East Jerusalem.

“[The entries are] an organized effort aimed at altering the Islamic identity of Al-Aqsa and furthering the Judaization of occupied East Jerusalem.”

Al-Aqsa Mosque holds deep significance for Muslims around the world and remains closely linked to Palestinian religious, cultural and national identity. The compound is also known internationally as a focal point of recurring tension because religious practice, security control and political claims overlap within a small and heavily watched area.

Events at the compound are closely followed because even limited changes in access, policing or religious activity can quickly provoke wider concern. The latest entry by more than 220 settlers came at a time when questions over worshippers’ rights and the future character of occupied East Jerusalem remain highly sensitive.

As visitor numbers rise and exclusion orders continue, Palestinian officials and religious leaders are likely to maintain pressure over safeguards for Muslim worshippers and the preservation of Al-Aqsa’s existing religious status. The dispute remains rooted in competing claims over a site whose importance reaches far beyond Jerusalem’s Old City.