Dozens of Jewish settlers, escorted by Israeli police, broke into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied Jerusalem on Sunday and performed rituals in some of its courtyards, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.
WAFA correspondent said scores of Jewish settlers entered the holy site in groups and performed rituals and Talmudic prayers there under the protection of Israeli police officers.
Earlier this morning, Israeli police stationed at the gates leading to the holy site retained the identity cards of many Palestinian Muslim worshippers as the latter were entering the holy site for prayers.
Watch | Media coverage: "Colonial Israeli settlers, backed by the Israeli occupation forces, break into the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem and perform talmudic rituals."#AlAqsaUnderAttack pic.twitter.com/C9HuyStpde
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) July 17, 2022
The Islamic Waqf, the Jordanian authority in charge of the holy sites in Jerusalem, has repeatedly described the settlers’ presence in Al-Aqsa Mosque as “provocative”, saying that Palestinian worshippers and guards at Al-Aqsa feel uncomfortable with the presence of Israeli police and settlers touring the Islamic holy site.
Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa Mosque is located, during the Six-Day War in 1967 in a move never recognized by the international community.
(WAFA, PC, Social Media)
