About 150 Israelis invade Al-Aqsa Mosque grounds in Jerusalem
Israelis conducted Jewish rituals at Al-Aqsa. The foreign ministries of eight Muslim countries condemned these actions.
On April 21, 2026, a group of radical Israeli settlers invaded the grounds of the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in Jerusalem, unfurled Israeli flags and conducted Jewish religious rituals. The incident occurred on the day when Israel celebrated its Independence Day.
According to the Palestinian agency WAFA, the settlers entered the complex territory through the Mughrabi Gate – one of the mosque's entrances – under heavy guard by Israeli police. Videos circulated on social media showed participants performing Jewish prayers aloud, including the so-called "epic prostration," predominantly in the eastern part of the complex.
The action was initiated by groups associated with the "Temple Mount" movement.
On April 23, foreign ministers of eight countries – Jordan, Egypt, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan and Indonesia – issued a coordinated joint statement. The document emphasizes that the entire 144-dunam area of the Al-Aqsa Mosque is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims, and that the Jerusalem Waqf, under the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf, has exclusive jurisdiction over managing the mosque and regulating access to its grounds.
Israeli authorities traditionally classify such visits as visits to the Temple Mount – a place that in Jewish tradition is associated with two ancient Jerusalem temples. According to the status quo established after 1967, non-Jews are allowed to visit the complex, but performing prayers there is prohibited; the Palestinian side states that in fact this norm has not been observed in recent years.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that, according to the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine, the time has come to build the Third Temple.
