Far-right Israeli incursion heightens tensions at Al-Aqsa ahead of election
Israeli far-right Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir joined hundreds of Jewish visitors at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound during Tisha B'Av. The event, which involved prayers and nationalist displays, has heightened regional tensions ahead of Israel's upcoming October elections.
Why it matters
The site is a flashpoint for Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and such incursions risk destabilizing the region and inflaming religious tensions.
Israeli far-right Minister Ben-Gvir joins provocative incursion at Al-Aqsa, escalating tensions ahead of upcoming elections.
x whatsapp-stroke copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info Israelis pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound during Tisha B’Av, in what analysts warn is likely to be one of a series of provocations ahead of October’s election [Ilia Yefimovich/AFP] By Simon Speakman Cordall Published On 23 Jul 2026 23 Jul 2026 Hundreds of Israelis have entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem as part of one of the largest incursions seen this year.
The Palestinian Authority said it expected the number of trespassers at the site to continue increasing until sunset on Thursday, potentially reaching about 5,000, as Jews mark Tisha B’Av, a Jewish day of mourning marking the destruction of both ancient Jewish temples believed to have stood on the Islamic holy site.
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