Earlier this week, during the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, hundreds of Jews ascended the Temple Mount as part of the traditional pilgrimage. According to the Islamic Waqf authority, a total of 985 Jewish worshippers visited the compound in two main waves, with an additional group of over 300 tourists, most of them likely Jews from abroad
White Garments and a Blue Basket
A dramatic incident occurred during one of the morning visits, when four young Jewish men dressed in white suddenly broke away from their designated group path and began sprinting toward the Dome of the Rock. Their appearance was striking: white garments resembling priestly attire, and a blue basket in hand
According to reports from the Waqf and eyewitnesses, the basket was found to contain symbolic ritual items – a bottle of wine, unleavened bread, and a cloth soaked in blood, likely from a young goat slaughtered earlier. The group was stopped by Waqf guards, Muslim worshippers, and Israeli police moments before reaching the mosque
تدنيس غير مسبوق..
مستوطنون يحاولون إدخال “قربان مذبوح” إلى قبة الصخرة في المسجد الأقصى. pic.twitter.com/bneV38DmEZ
— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) June 2, 2025
Outrage Across the Region
Palestinian media and social networks erupted with outrage, calling it the most serious breach of the status quo since 1967. Headlines described the act as an attempt to simulate a sacrificial offering at the heart of the Al-Aqsa compound, referring to it as a dangerous escalation
Another Gate, Another Symbol
Another incident reported by Palestinian sources took place earlier, on the eve of Shavuot, when a group of ultra-Orthodox Jews reportedly gathered in front of the closed Cotton Merchants Gate for nighttime prayer. Though the gate was locked and only accessible to Muslims, the symbolic act was portrayed online as an attempt to get as close as possible to the holy site
As tensions surrounding the Temple Mount continue to rise, this incident is being viewed by many as part of an evolving campaign to challenge long-standing religious arrangements. The event has drawn widespread reactions and is being widely circulated in Arabic-language media
