Netanyahu tours tunnels beneath Al-Aqsa as Ben Gvir raids Jerusalem holy site

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu toured tunnels beneath Al-Aqsa Mosque as hundreds of Israeli settlers raided the Jerusalem holy site over the weekend. Ahead of Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, Netanyahu joined tens of thousands of Israelis for Selichot prayers at the Western Wall, adjacent to Al-Aqsa, on Saturday night. The prime minister later posted a video of himself and his wife, Sara, touring tunnels beneath the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex. “It is moving to touch the rock of our existence. We are here very close to the Holy of Holies,” he said. “We are here, and we will always remain here.” Tens of thousands of people attended Selichot prayers at the Western Wall plaza, including Israeli government ministers and officials. On Sunday morning, hundreds of Israelis raided Al-Aqsa, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. Ben Gvir was filmed praying alongside other Israelis inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex under heavy police protection. The Palestinian Authority’s Jerusalem Governorate said around 800 people raided the site on Sunday. Read more: Netanyahu tours tunnels beneath Al-Aqsa as Ben Gvir raids Jerusalem holy site A drone view of Jewish worshippers taking part in Selichot, a prayer in which Jews offer repentance and ask God to forgive their sins, ahead of Yom Kippur on 18 September 2026 (Ilan Rosenberg/Reuters)