The Islamic-Christian Authority for Patronizing Jerusalem and Holy Sites has warned of what it described as an unprecedented escalation in Jewish settler incursions and violations at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied Jerusalem.

The authority said the number and nature of settler incursions had reached alarming levels, describing the developments as part of an organized effort to alter the longstanding legal and historical status quo at the Islamic holy site.

“Settler break-ins at the Aqsa Mosque have reached unprecedented levels this month,” the authority said, underlining that the incidents could no longer be viewed as isolated actions by individual extremists.

According to the authority, the increasing number of settlers entering the compound is accompanied by changes in the nature of their activities.

It said some settlers have increasingly carried out public Talmudic rituals, including prostration, singing and dancing, while bringing religious books, garments and ritual objects into the courtyards of the mosque.

The authority warned that these practices appear aimed at establishing a permanent daily presence at the site with both religious and political objectives.

It described the reported activities as a serious challenge to the established status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque and warned that continued violations could have consequences extending beyond Jerusalem.

The Islamic-Christian Authority said the developments crossed the “religious and national red lines,” warning that continued incursions could contribute to a broader religious confrontation.

The authority held the Israeli government responsible for the situation and called for an end to actions that it said threaten the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the established arrangements governing access and worship at the compound.

Al-Aqsa Mosque, one of Islam’s holiest sites, has remained a major flashpoint in Jerusalem amid ongoing tensions between Palestinians, Israeli authorities and settlers.

The authority’s warning comes as Palestinian officials and religious institutions have repeatedly expressed concern over attempts to change the historic status quo at the holy site and expand Jewish religious practices within its courtyards.

It urged the international community to take the issue seriously and work to prevent further escalation around one of the most sensitive religious sites in the region. (ILKHA)