February 26, 2026 | 07:16 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - According to a report, more than 65,000 illegal Israeli settlers have entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem throughout 2025, marking a 22 percent increase compared to the previous year.
The figures were released in the annual report by the International Jerusalem Foundation, which was compiled using data from the Islamic Waqf Administration in the occupied East Jerusalem.
As reported by TRT World, according to the report, it is mentioned that 65,364 individuals entered the site throughout the year, while visits involving Israeli political figures also rose significantly.
The foundation noted that the extremist right-wing Israeli National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, was among the politicians leading the incursions into the compound, along with several members of the parliament.
The number of political incursions rose from nine cases in 2024 to 20 cases in 2025.
The report stated that the Israeli authorities introduced new measures that alter access to the site. This includes extending visiting hours, increasing the group size from 120 to 200 participants, and shortening the interval between visits.
These measures are described as an attempt to change the long-standing status quo in the third holiest site for Muslims and impose new conditions there.
In addition to the issues at Al-Aqsa Mosque, the report stated that Israel's policies involving the revocation of residency and identification documents in Jerusalem continue. Approximately 14,929 Palestinian residents lost their identity status between 1967 and 2024.
The report also underscored pressure on the education sector, noting a shortage of around 1,500 classrooms in the occupied East Jerusalem and asserting that approximately 27 percent of Palestinian students aged 6 to 17 follow the Israeli curriculum.
The foundation warned that the current period marks a turning point in what is referred to as efforts to target Jerusalem's identity, citing the increasingly intensive "Judaization" policy.
The report added that nearly 77 percent of Palestinian families in the occupied East Jerusalem live below the poverty line.
The report further reflects the Palestinian view that Israel is accelerating efforts to reshape occupied East Jerusalem, including the Al-Aqsa compound, and erase the city's Arab and Islamic character.
Palestinian residents refer to international resolutions rejecting Israel's occupation of the city in 1967, and continue to regard East Jerusalem as the future capital of the State of Palestine.
Meanwhile, Israeli data shows a higher number, stating that 76,448 "Jewish visitors" entered the compound in 2025, up 31 percent compared to the previous year.
Read: Israeli Minister Enters Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound During Ramadan
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