On Monday, the Israeli occupation authorities maintained the closure of the Al‑Aqsa Mosque for the 38th consecutive day, while the fanatic Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben‑Gvir invaded its courtyards, accompanied by dozens of officers and colonizers.
In a press statement, the Jerusalem Affairs Department of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) warned that the continued closure of the Al‑Aqsa Mosque “constitutes a flagrant violation of freedom of worship and aims to impose a new reality in the holy city by restricting citizens’ access to their religious sites.”
The statement added that the closure of Al‑Aqsa, combined with the intensive Israeli security measures imposed on the Old City of Jerusalem, is altering its historical character and religious sanctity.
In contrast, the Israeli Supreme Court ruled that groups of Israeli colonizers will be allowed to visit the Western Wall area of the Al‑Aqsa Mosque compound.
The Islamic Waqf Department in Jerusalem reported that the extremist Itamar Ben‑Gvir invaded the courtyards of the Al‑Aqsa Mosque under heavy protection from occupation police.
Ahead of Ben‑Gvir’s visit, the occupation intensified its military measures around the Al‑Aqsa Mosque compound and closed several gates leading into the Old City of Jerusalem.
It is worth noting that the Israeli occupation authorities have kept the Al‑Aqsa Mosque closed since the start of the U.S.–Israeli war on Iran on Saturday, February 28, 2026.
Israeli forces invaded the Al‑Aqsa Mosque just hours after the attack on Iran began and forcibly removed Palestinian worshippers before imposing a full closure under the claimed pretext of a state of emergency.
