Netanyahu, Settlers Storm Western Wall Tunnels and Al-Aqsa Amid Yom Kippur

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu toured tunnels beneath the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and joined thousands of settlers at the Western Wall ahead of Yom Kippur, while about 570 settlers separately entered the mosque courtyards for Jewish prayers. Palestinian officials and Hamas condemned the visits as attacks on Al-Aqsa's Islamic status, and analysts linked the timing to Netanyahu's election strategy and the contested E1 settlement plan isolating East Jerusalem. The episode highlights the Temple Mount's enduring status as the most contested site in the conflict, central to any future sovereignty claim over Jerusalem.