480 settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque on second day of Jewish New Year

Quick summary

480 Israeli settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the second day of the Hebrew New Year through the Moors' Gate, where they performed Talmudic and provocative rituals. These incursions are based on an Israeli decision from 2003 that allows settlers to enter without approval from the Islamic Waqf Department.

Why it matters

These incursions constitute a violation of Islamic sovereignty over the Al-Aqsa Mosque and holy sites, and represent a continuation of a daily pattern that threatens the status of the site. The Israeli decision from 2003 contradicts the Israeli-Jordanian peace agreement which recognizes the role of the Waqf Department in overseeing the mosque.

Key takeaways

• ›480 Israeli settlers entered Al-Aqsa Mosque on the second day of Rosh Hashanah, according to the Palestinian Authority's Jerusalem governorate.
• ›Settlers accessed the mosque through the Bab al-Magharbeh gate and performed Talmudic rituals and group prayers, as reported by Anadolu Agency citing WAFA.
• ›The incursions are enabled by a 2003 Israeli unilateral decision that bypasses the authority of the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf Department, which holds custodial responsibility under the 1994 Jordanian-Israeli peace treaty.