SOURCE :- SIASAT NEWS
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu toured tunnels beneath occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City on Saturday night, September 19, before joining “Selichot” prayers at the Western Wall ahead of Yom Kippur.
Netanyahu shared footage of the visit on Instagram, showing him and his wife, Sara, walking through excavation tunnels beneath the Western Wall, known as the Al-Buraq Wall to Muslims.
In one video, Netanyahu said he was “very close to the Holy of Holies” and added, “We are here, and we will always remain here.” The footage also showed him taking part in prayers at the Western Wall from behind bulletproof glass.
Netanyahu was accompanied by several Israeli ministers and thousands of Israelis who gathered at the Western Wall plaza under heavy security for Selichot prayers ahead of Yom Kippur.
Settlers enter Al-Aqsa
On Sunday morning, September 20, Israeli settlers entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound ahead of Yom Kippur.
The Palestinian Jerusalem Governorate said about 570 settlers had entered the courtyards of Al-Aqsa by 10 am local time under Israeli police protection. It said they performed Jewish religious rituals and prostrations at the site.
The governorate said large numbers of Palestinians were also present in the Old City to pray at Al-Aqsa Mosque and visit shops in the area.
It had earlier reported that Netanyahu, several Israeli ministers and thousands of Israelis had gathered at the Western Wall plaza after passing through Wadi Street in the Old City.
Hamas condemns Netanyahu’s visit
Hamas on Sunday condemned Netanyahu’s visit to the tunnels and excavation areas beneath the Western Wall and Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.
In a statement published on Telegram, the group said Netanyahu’s remarks about the “Holy of Holies” represented what it described as an assault on the identity and status of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Hamas said Al-Aqsa, including its courtyards, prayer halls, walls and gates, would remain an Islamic place of worship. It also rejected Israeli excavations, incursions and religious rituals at the site.
The Western Wall is a major Jewish prayer site adjacent to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. It is known as the Al-Buraq Wall to Muslims.
The underground tunnels and archaeological excavations in and around Jerusalem’s Old City have long been a source of political and religious dispute.
Netanyahu had previously visited the underground tunnel complex beneath the Western Wall. In September 2025, he toured the site with then-US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
SOURCE : SIASAT
