Ben-Gvir joins hundreds of Israelis to storm Al-Aqsa Mosque compound | Israel-Palestine conflict News
Israel’s National Security Minister Leads Controversial Incursion at Al-Aqsa Mosque
Published on September 28, 2026
JERUSALEM — Hundreds of Israelis, led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound under police protection on Monday, prompting significant security measures in the area. The incident occurred on the third day of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot.
The Jerusalem governorate reported that Israeli forces closed several intersections and streets surrounding the Old City, which leads to the compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount. During the incursion, approximately 900 individuals participated, engaging in dancing and singing within the courtyard of the mosque.
Ben-Gvir remarked, “We are the owners of the place in Al-Aqsa and in the prisons, and we have turned the lives of terrorist prisoners into hell,” asserting the importance of the site to the Jewish people.
This event coincided with increased restrictions on local Palestinian residents. Reports indicated that Israeli authorities forced numerous Palestinian shopkeepers to close their businesses to facilitate the Jewish prayers during the holiday. The Association for Civil Rights in Israel stated that shop, café, and restaurant owners in the Cotton Merchants Market faced mandatory closures, preventing them from operating during Sukkot.
Palestinian presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh condemned the incursion as “playing with fire” and a “dangerous provocation” that could offend Muslims globally. He further expressed concerns that Israel’s actions might instigate a “religious war” in the region.
Since 2003, Israeli police have permitted groups of Israelis to enter the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound daily, with exceptions on Fridays and Saturdays. However, restrictions imposed on Palestinian worshippers have been common, as seen earlier this year when Israel limited access for Eid al-Fitr prayers, allowing only a fraction of the local population from the West Bank to attend significant religious observances.
