[REVISION HISTORY]

Al‑Aqsa Mosque entry dispute escalates

Updated 2 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-08-04 23:47 UTC → 2026-08-05 02:49 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The dispute over access to Jerusalem’s Al‑Aqsa Mosque intensified in late July 2026. After more than 4,000 Israeli settlers entered the compound on 22 July during the Tisha B’Av fast, the incursion was condemned by a coalition of foreign ministries from the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The condemnation was reiterated on 23 July, with Turkey issuing a harsh statement and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation describing the actions as “crimes of the Israeli occupation,” warning of forced displacement, ethnic cleansing and potential genocide. The scale of the incursions grew, reaching over 5,400 settlers in the week ending 26 July, including a peak of 4,248 on a day marked by a “Temple Mount destruction” commemoration. Israeli security forces backed the raids, installed a permanent umbrella structure in the eastern courtyard, and tightened controls on Muslim worshippers, limiting entry and closing doors. ~~In response,~~ Jordan’s foreign minister announced an emergency meeting of Arab and Islamic foreign ministers on 4 August, warning of an imminent Israeli attempt to take over the Al‑Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. The meeting cited a new recruitment drive for a special Temple Mount police unit and upcoming Jewish holidays as further risk factors, cautioning that any breach of the custodial arrangement could spark a broader religious conflict across the Muslim world. On 4 August, Jordan convened the emergency summit in Amman, bringing together Arab‑League foreign ministers and officials from Turkey, Indonesia, Malaysia and Pakistan. The gathering was prompted by a 23 July incursion in which more than 2,000 right‑wing settlers, led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, entered the Temple Mount and performed rituals, violating the status‑quo that reserves worship for Muslims. Jordan’s foreign minister Ayman Safadi warned that such actions could trigger a wider religious conflict.

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