Days of Palestine – Jerusalem
Dozens of Jewish settlers on Wednesday morning stormed the Aqsa Mosque complex and desecrated its courtyards under police guard.
“Around 98 Jewish settlers have entered the compound since early morning under protection of Israeli police,” The Islamic Awqaf Department in Occupied Jerusalem said.
The Awqaf Department added that Israeli occupation officers detained two of its employees and one Muslim worshiper during their presence in the Mosque’s courtyards as settlers were touring the Islamic holy site.
The Aqsa Mosque is exposed to daily desecration by Jewish settlers and police forces in the morning and the afternoon except on Fridays and Saturdays.
The Israeli police close al-Maghariba Gate, which is used by Jews to enter the Mosque, at 10:30 am after the settlers complete their morning tours at the holy site. Later in the afternoon, the same gate is reopened for evening tours by settlers.
During the presence of settlers inside the Mosque compound, entry restrictions are imposed on Muslim worshipers at the entrances leading to the Mosque and their IDs are seized until they leave the holy place.
Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world’s third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews call the area the Temple Mount, claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.
Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. It annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move never recognised by the international community.
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