JERUSALEM, July 21, 2026 (WAFA) – The Jerusalem Governorate described the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound this morning by the extremist Israeli National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, as a dangerous escalation and a blatant violation of the historical and legal status quo of the mosque.
In a statement, the governorate said the visit came amid as a systematic targeting of Islamic holy sites and attempts to impose a new reality within the mosque, during the commemoration of what is known in Jewish tradition as the destruction of the Temple.
The Governorate added that more than 1,300 colonists stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound this morning under heavy protection from Israeli forces. Soldiers imposed strict military measures around the Old City and the mosque gates, preventing large numbers of worshippers from accessing the compound.
It also said Israeli forces deployed heavily throughout the compound, reducing the presence of worshippers and mosque guards while settlers carried out religious rituals, including wearing tefillin, performing what is known as "epic prostration" in the eastern section of the compound, and chanting prayers and hymns aloud. The governorate said Temple advocacy groups were seeking to bring the number of settlers entering the site to around 5,000 over the course of the day.
It further emphasized that Ben-Gvir's participation in these incursions, along with the accompanying escalation by Temple Mount groups and colonists, represents a dangerous shift from attacks by extremist groups to the official adoption of these practices by the occupation government. This is an attempt to consolidate control over the Al-Aqsa Mosque and undermine its Islamic status. The governorate warned of the repercussions of these continued violations on security and stability in the region.
The Jerusalem Governorate called on the international community and international institutions to assume their responsibilities and work to stop these attacks, emphasizing that the entire 144-dunam area of the Al-Aqsa Mosque is a purely Islamic place of worship, and that any measures or attempts to alter its identity or historical and legal status are null and void.
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