The so-called "Temple" groups have announced plans for widespread incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, which begins Wednesday and lasts until January 2nd. These incursions include performing rituals, dances, and attempts to bring the menorah into the mosque’s courtyards.

Hanukkah, deeply tied to the narrative of the alleged Temple, has become a period of heightened activity for these groups, prompting calls from Jerusalemites to defend Al-Aqsa through increased presence and vigilance.

Jerusalem affairs expert Nasser Al-Hudaybi denounced these actions, stating that the occupation uses fabricated biblical holidays to justify desecrations of Al-Aqsa, which remains exclusively a Muslim holy site. He highlighted the occupation's relentless attacks on Palestinian worshippers and their persistent claims over the mosque.

During the holiday, Al-Aqsa is expected to witness intensified incursions, Talmudic rituals, and repeated attempts to introduce the menorah into its courtyards. Such actions, carried out under heavy Israeli military protection, represent blatant violations against Palestinians and the broader Arab and Islamic nations, exacerbating the hardships of those in the Gaza Strip.

The occupation’s restrictions on Jerusalemites increase during this time, with a significant military presence in the Old City and main roads closed to secure settler activities. Extremist groups aim to use the eight-day holiday to strengthen their incursions and push for the lighting of the menorah inside the mosque, part of their broader effort to impose religious control over Al-Aqsa and create a shared sacred site.

Adding to the provocations, "Temple" groups have called for participation in the "Maccabean March" in occupied Jerusalem, an event seen as reinforcing the assault on Islamic endowments and undermining the Jordanian administration's role in managing Al-Aqsa.

Al-Aqsa remains a focal point of conflict as the occupation continues its campaign of aggression and Judaization, intensifying its efforts to alter the identity of this sacred site.