SAFA — Israeli occupation authorities are intensifying restrictions on Palestinian access to Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem, issuing hundreds of exclusion orders against worshippers and religious figures while allowing increasing numbers of Israeli settlers to enter the compound under police protection.
Palestinian officials warn that the measures are weakening the authority of the Islamic Waqf, the Jordan-backed body responsible for administering the mosque's religious affairs, and threatening the longstanding arrangements governing worship at one of Islam's holiest sites.
Sheikh Ekrima Sabri Banned Until April 2027
Among those targeted is Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, head of the Higher Islamic Council in Jerusalem, who has been barred from Al-Aqsa for more than two years.
His latest exclusion order, issued on October 20, extends the ban until April 2027, preventing him from entering the compound to pray or deliver sermons.
Sabri has faced repeated exclusion orders since August 2024, when Israeli forces detained him following a sermon mourning Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was assassinated by Israel.
The prominent Jerusalem religious leader has also been subjected to numerous interrogations.
"This decision is unjust, illegal, inhumane and uncivilized," Sabri said, describing the extended ban as an attempt to silence criticism of Israeli policies at Al-Aqsa.
"These measures are aimed at diminishing the Palestinian presence at the mosque, while simultaneously allowing settlers to carry out incursions in large numbers."
He vowed to continue defending Al-Aqsa despite the restrictions.
Meanwhile, far-right Jewish religious activists have increasingly performed prayers and rituals inside the compound under Israeli police protection, challenging longstanding arrangements and the religious objections of many ultra-Orthodox Jewish authorities.
More Than 1,000 Exclusion Orders in 2026
According to the Wadi Hilweh Information Center, Israeli authorities have issued more than 1,000 exclusion orders since the beginning of 2026, restricting Palestinians' access to Al-Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem's Old City.
Those targeted include religious leaders, Islamic Waqf employees, students, teachers and regular worshippers.
The center documented more than 40 exclusion orders within five days in early September, as restrictions intensified ahead of Jewish holidays.
For many Palestinians, the orders are imposed without specific charges or court proceedings.
Jerusalem resident Ibrahim al-Natsheh said Israeli forces arrested him earlier this month while he was attending funeral prayers for his cousin at Al-Aqsa.
He spent a week in detention before being released under a six-month order barring him from Jerusalem's Old City.
"The orders banning us from the mosque provide no specific reason; they simply cite 'disturbing the peace,' even though we are there solely to pray," he said.
Al-Natsheh has faced repeated exclusion orders over the past nine years, particularly following Israeli restrictions on Islamic study circles at the mosque.
He said the latest order threatens him with renewed arrest, fines or imprisonment if he enters the prohibited area.
Even without an active ban, he said, Israeli soldiers have prevented him from entering Al-Aqsa, sometimes detaining and beating him at its gates.
"The path to the mosque has become incredibly difficult; it is swarming with soldiers and settlers," he said.
"We are denied the ability to reach it with any ease, and if we try, we face arrest and beatings with batons. It is deeply painful to witness what is happening to Al-Aqsa now."
Nearly 28,000 Settler Visits in Three Months
Israeli restrictions intensified throughout 2026, particularly during Jewish holidays.
Following the outbreak of the US-Israeli war on Iran on February 28, Israeli authorities closed Al-Aqsa to most worshippers for approximately 40 days, reopening it on April 9.
Palestinian officials said the closure was imposed without consulting or notifying the Islamic Waqf.
According to the Palestinian Authority's Jerusalem Governorate, nearly 28,000 settler visits were recorded at Al-Aqsa between July and September.
Ma'rouf al-Rifai, an adviser to the Jerusalem Governorate, said Israeli measures during recent Jewish holidays included temporary mosque closures, restrictions on Palestinian residents and the prevention of noon prayers on at least one occasion.
"Settler incursions have undergone a shift over the past three years; they now include Jewish prayers and religious rituals, the raising of Israeli flags, and attempts to bring in sacrificial offerings," al-Rifai said.
He warned that these developments undermine the longstanding arrangements under which the Waqf administers Muslim religious affairs while Israeli authorities control security and access.
Waqf Authority Eroded as Mosque Guards Reduced
Al-Rifai said Israeli forces have increasingly restricted the Waqf's ability to administer Al-Aqsa.
According to his account, Israeli authorities have prevented Waqf employees from accompanying Jewish visitor groups, reduced the authority of mosque guards and arrested or banned several staff members.
He said fewer than 15 guards now work the morning shift, compared with approximately 50 previously.
Israeli forces have also restricted restoration and maintenance work, including at the Bab al-Rahma prayer hall, while limiting the upkeep of trees and gardens.
Al-Rifai said the committee responsible for restoration has been unable to perform its duties effectively for years.
He also cited proposals to allow Jewish visits on Saturdays, initiatives to divide worship times between Muslims and Jews, and an Israeli police recruitment campaign for volunteers to escort settler groups inside the compound.
"These developments represent a further erosion of the Waqf's authority," he warned.
Palestinian religious leaders and Jerusalem officials fear that the growing restrictions, settler incursions and interference in Waqf affairs are intended to weaken Palestinian ties to Al-Aqsa and consolidate Israeli control over the compound.
Source : Safa News
