Hundreds of Israelis Enter Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound Amid Holiday Restrictions

During the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, hundreds of Israelis stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound located in occupied East Jerusalem, according to reports from September 28, 2026. Palestinian Muslims faced ongoing entry restrictions while Israelis conducted religious rituals and singing at the site on Wednesday, which violates the established status quo, as reported by Palestine’s Wafa news agency citing the Jerusalem governorate.

The Islamic Waqf Department in Jerusalem stated that approximately 700 Israelis entered the compound under the protection of Israeli police, with former lawmaker Moshe Feiglin among them. Under the historical status quo, the waqf department holds exclusive administrative responsibility for the compound—referred to by Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif or the Noble Sanctuary, and by Jews as the Temple Monitor—maintaining it as a place of worship strictly for Muslims.

To facilitate access for Israelis traveling to the Western Wall, the Jerusalem governorate noted that Israeli authorities restricted roads near the Lions’ Gate and the entrance to al-Turba Road leading toward Silwan. These incursions into the Al-Aqsa compound have occurred frequently throughout the ongoing Jewish holiday period.

Earlier in the week on Tuesday, 966 individuals entered via the Moroccan Gate accompanied by Israeli police, gathering in the mosque courtyards to sing and perform Talmudic rituals. The holiday season commenced with the Jewish New Year on September 12 and 13, followed by Yom Kippur on September 21 and 22, and Sukkot running from September 26 to October 2 before concluding with Simchat Torah on October 3.