# Monday briefing: How a new phase of confrontation at al-Aqsa challenges the status quo

https://mins.news/en/item/17810

- The Guardian, 2026-08-10 05:45 UTC
- World
- Original: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/10/monday-briefing-how-the-new-phase-of-confrontation-at-al-aqsa-signals-a-challenge-to-the-status-quo

> Jerusalem’s most volatile holy site has once again become a flashpoint. Arab officials and former Israeli figures are warning that Benjamin Netanyahu may be complicit in the escalation. Itamar Ben-Gvir, the far-right security minister, joined more than 2,000 Jewish extremists in storming the al-Aqsa mosque compound. Repeated visits and such incursions have eroded established norms and inflamed tensions. Jordanian officials now warn of an “imminent” Israeli takeover, as Israel appears to be accelerating settlement expansion and the displacement of Palestinians.

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