Tuesday 27 October 2026Updated 07:40 GMTThe day’s linesHow the layers workCorrections

News from Palestine. One line for the skim, one more for every layer under it.

Jerusalem

Al-Aqsa and its gates, Silwan and Sheikh Jarrah, the orders, the demolitions and the people who stay.

9lines, 17 layers under them

The Dome of the Rock on a rainy Friday morning
Al-Aqsa compound, Jerusalem: the Dome of the Rock on a rainy Friday, February 2023. Photo: Amin (أمين), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

JerusalemSun

The Al-Aqsa status quo: an unwritten deal now being worn away

Jordan's Waqf runs religious affairs, Israel controls security, and every shift in the rules is felt across the region.

The factline one

Under the long-standing status quo, Muslims pray at the compound while non-Muslims may visit only at set times through one gate and may not pray; police now in effect allow Jewish prayer on its eastern side.

Source: The Times of Israel

On Tisha B'Av in July 2026 about 3,000 Jews had entered by midday, according to the advocacy group Beyadenu, and about a dozen were arrested for praying on the western side.

Source: The Times of Israel

40,661

settler entries to the compound, January–August 2026

Source: WAFA

9,000+

entries during Sukkot 2026, Palestinian estimate

Source: The New Arab

a flagrant violation of the historical and legal status quo
Jordanian foreign ministry spokesman, on Tisha B'Av visits, July 2026 · The Times of Israel
Al-Aqsa is my soul.
Alia Abu Ghannam Abu Subaitan, worshipper · The New Arab
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Jerusalem20 OctWadi al-Rababa, Silwan

Settlers install iron gate sealing off Silwan's Wadi al-Rababa

Settlers, protected by Israeli police, installed an iron gate at the entrance to Silwan's Wadi al-Rababa neighbourhood, home to more than 1,000 Palestinians, blocking service vehicles, WAFA reported.

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