Al-Aqsa Intifada Anniversary Marked Amid Rising Tensions
Hamas calls for global support as settler incursions and West Bank violence reach record levels during the commemoration.
Monday marks the twenty-sixth anniversary of the Second Palestinian Intifada, which erupted after Ariel Sharon stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque. The event is observed amid recurring Israeli settler incursions and heightened tensions across occupied Jerusalem and the wider West Bank region today.
Sharon’s initial intrusion with over one thousand police officers sparked widespread anger. Today, such incursions have become routine occurrences throughout the year. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir participated in Monday’s events, highlighting the shifting dynamics at the holy site recently.
On Sunday, the Jerusalem Governorate reported that 1,143 settlers entered the mosque courtyards during Sukkot. They performed rituals and brought plant offerings inside. Likud Knesset member Amit Halevi also joined these incursions, drawing sharp condemnation from regional actors warning against status quo changes.
Jordan, Egypt, and the Arab League issued strong warnings about imposing new realities. Jordan stated these practices aim to divide the site spatially and temporally. The Arab League specifically cautioned against allowing Jewish prayer books into the mosque courtyards, viewing it as a significant legal shift.
Israeli group Beyadenu recorded 68,944 Jewish visitors in the past Hebrew year. This figure surpasses previous records significantly. While non-Muslims could visit before, Jewish prayer was prohibited under the 1967 status quo. Recent months have seen printed prayer texts and books permitted inside the compound.
Ben-Gvir prayed openly at the site in April and July. Despite this, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office maintains that the status quo remains unchanged. These developments occur alongside increased military raids and restrictions on Palestinian movement in the occupied territories during recent days.
Hamas called for global support to regain Palestinian rights and holy sites. UN data shows over 1,600 settler attacks in the West Bank this year. More than 4,300 Palestinians have been displaced due to violence and demolitions. Settler aggression is now the leading driver of recorded displacement in the area.