RAMALLAH, July 23, 2026 (WAFA) – The Ministry of Religious Endowments and Affairs condemned the incursion into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound led by Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, accompanied by Knesset member Amit Halevi and hundreds of settlers, under heavy guard by occupation forces. This incursion coincided with what is known as the "anniversary of the destruction of the alleged Temple."

In its statement, the Ministry affirmed that this incursion constitutes a blatant violation of the sanctity of Islamic holy sites and a serious transgression against the historical and legal status quo at the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

 It noted that exploiting Jewish occasions and events to intensify incursions and perform Talmudic rituals within the Al-Aqsa Mosque is part of the occupation's systematic plans to impose a temporal and spatial division of the site.

The Ministry affirmed that the Al-Aqsa Mosque, with its total area of ​​144 dunams, is the exclusive right of Muslims and is indivisible and cannot be shared. These provocative practices, emanating from the highest political levels of the occupying government, seek to ignite a religious war throughout the entire region.

The Ministry called for urgent action at all levels, calling on international community and UN institutions to uphold their legal and moral responsibilities and exert serious pressure on the occupying authorities to halt their systematic violations against Jerusalem and its holy sites.

It also called upon the Islamic and Arab world to take a decisive stance and support the steadfastness of the Palestinian people and those defending Jerusalem.

The Ministry reiterated its call for the Palestinian people to maintain a constant presence and intensify visits to the holy site to thwart the schemes targeting its Islamic and Arab identity.

Y.S