Tensions in Jerusalem escalated on Wednesday after hard-line settler groups announced plans for a mass entry into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Thursday morning, coinciding with the “Sigd” holiday. Local authorities in Jerusalem said this is the first time such groups have coordinated a large-scale mobilisation for a single incursion, prompting renewed concerns about attempts to alter long-standing arrangements governing the holy site.

Community leaders and observers note that these calls reflect a growing pattern in which settler groups seek to increase their presence inside the compound during Jewish holidays, often under the protection of Israeli police. Residents argue that these repeated incursions form part of a broader strategy aimed at normalising settler access while gradually reshaping control over the area. Many fear the moves are designed to impose new conditions on one of the most sensitive religious sites in the region.

The planned entry comes at a moment when public appeals for continued presence inside the mosque have intensified, with worshippers urging one another to maintain vigilance and protect the site from what they view as escalating attempts to redefine its status. Over recent years, settler activity at Al-Aqsa has notably increased during religious festivals, contributing to concerns that the compound could eventually face a division of time and space similar to arrangements imposed elsewhere under occupation.

For many residents of Jerusalem, tomorrow’s announced mobilisation is not an isolated event but part of a wider pattern aimed at asserting control over the compound while eroding its historic, cultural and religious character. Local voices warn that unchecked incursions risk fuelling further instability and deepening grievances at a time when trust in international protection mechanisms has severely eroded.