Large-Scale Settler Raids on Al-Aqsa Mosque ahead of Hanukkah Celebration

Al-Quds, MINA – The courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Occupied Jerusalem witnessed large-scale incursions by Israeli settlers on Monday, facilitated by heavy Israeli police security and coinciding with the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.

Meanwhile, Palestinian worshipers faced severe restrictions as the settlers performed religious rituals at the holy site.

According to the Islamic Waqf Department in Jerusalem, groups of settlers, each comprising dozens of individuals, entered the Al-Aqsa compound in successive waves. They carried out provocative tours and performed Talmudic rituals under the direct protection of Israeli police.

The department reported that settlers performed prayers and received lectures about the so-called “Temple” in the eastern area of the Mosque, in what it described as ongoing violations of the site’s sanctity.

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Simultaneously, Israeli forces imposed tight restrictions on Palestinian access. They confiscated ID cards at the gates, blocked paths designated for Palestinian use to facilitate settler movement, and erected military checkpoints around the Mosque and the Old City.

In related events, thousands of settlers gathered at the adjacent Buraq Plaza (Western Wall Plaza). The Israeli mayor of Jerusalem, Moshe Lion, accompanied by a former Israeli prisoner and several rabbis, visited the plaza to light the first Hanukkah candle.

Thematic light projections related to the Torah were also displayed on walls near Jaffa Gate. The eight-day Hanukkah holiday, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple, includes rituals such as the “Maccabees March” through the Old City’s alleys around Al-Aqsa.

Palestinian groups have called on worshipers to maintain a strong presence at the holy site to resist the ongoing incursions, despite the restrictive measures enforced by Israeli authorities.[]

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Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)