Raşa Evrensel
15 May 2026•Update: 15 May 2026
Palestine warned on Thursday of an "official, systematic, and deliberate" Israeli policy, led by the government, aimed at "forcibly imposing new realities in occupied Jerusalem and undermining the existing historical status quo.”
In a statement, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned "in the strongest terms" this week’s storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
The ministry called Ben-Gvir's move "part of an official, systematic, and deliberate Israeli policy led by the extremist occupation government, aimed at forcibly imposing new realities in occupied East Jerusalem and undermining the existing historical and legal status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque."
Early Thursday, video footage showed Ben-Gvir forcing his way into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound to mark Israel’s occupation of East Jerusalem. He raised the Israeli flag and danced with a group of right-wing occupiers with the Dome of the Rock mosque in the background.
The ministry added that the incursion also comes "within the framework of an ongoing colonial plan aimed at the unacceptable spatial and temporal division of the city, in clear violation of international law and a serious provocation of the feelings of Palestinians and millions of believers around the world."
The "status quo," also known as the historical or current status quo, refers to the arrangement that prevailed in the Islamic and Christian holy sites during the Ottoman era, and continued even after the Israeli occupation of Jerusalem in 1967.
The ministry reiterated that "the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque/Haram al-Sharif, with its entire area of 144 dunams (144,000 square meters), is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims."
Palestine has ‘full sovereignty’ over occupied East Jerusalem
The state of Palestine “has full legal sovereignty over occupied East Jerusalem” and “the Israeli occupation has no sovereignty over the city or its holy sites,” the ministry added.
It said that “all unilateral and illegal measures taken by the occupation authorities are null and void and have no legal effect, regardless of the occupation’s attempts to impose them by force."
The ministry warned of the repercussions of “the serious, repeated, and unacceptable violations, including attempts to seize and confiscate property in Jerusalem,” saying that the Israeli government is “fully responsible for this dangerous escalation.”
The Palestinian Authority called on the international community and all countries to "assume their legal and moral responsibilities and take immediate action to stop these ongoing violations against our people and holy sites in occupied Jerusalem, and to adopt deterrent measures against the settlers and their extremist leaders, including those who lead the occupation government."
Right-wing Israeli groups called for large-scale incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound to mark the anniversary of the occupation of East Jerusalem, according to the Hebrew calendar.
An official with the Islamic Waqf Department in Jerusalem, speaking anonymously, told Anadolu that 620 Israeli occupiers stormed the mosque on Thursday under police protection.
According to Israeli media, about 50,000 occupiers plan to hold a flag march through East Jerusalem on Thursday to celebrate the city’s occupation in 1967. This march is often accompanied by attacks on Palestinian property and chants of "Death to Arabs."
Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world's third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews call the area the Temple Mount, saying it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.
Since 2003, Israeli police have allowed occupiers to enter the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound daily, except Fridays and Saturdays.
Israeli occupiers stormed the mosque 30 times in April, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs.
Palestinians say Israel has intensified efforts for decades to Judaize East Jerusalem, including Al-Aqsa Mosque, and erase the city’s Arab and Islamic identity.
Palestinians seek East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, citing international resolutions that do not recognize Israel’s occupation of the city in 1967 or its annexation in 1980.
*Writing by Rasa Evrensel in Istanbul
