Israeli security personnel guard a checkpoint in Jerusalem's old city as Muslim worshippers make their way to the al-Aqsa Mosque compound during the first Friday of Ramadan. Changes in the status quo have historically shown the potential to ignite unrest and conflict in Jerusalem and the Palestinian occupied territories, with repercussions across the world. The West Bank is a tinderbox.”Tensions have escalated steadily around al-Aqsa mosque as far-right Israelis have taken up key security positions. “The status quo has collapsed because there are prayers on a daily basis,” Seidemann said. The Palestinian-run Jerusalem governorate provided different figures: 25 Waqf staff members banned and four detained.

Source: The Irish Times February 20, 2026 17:49 UTC