Dozens of Israeli Settlers Storm al-Aqsa Mosque
On Sunday, over 40 Israeli settlers entered the compound through al-Mughrabi gate and were led by the extremist Rabbi Yehuda Glick.
“Settlers have been invading … the mosque’s squares, led by one of the rabbis and accompanied and protected by special forces and the Israeli police.... Lots of Israeli soldiers were protecting them,” Jamal Juma, a Palestinian activist, said.
“This is not the first time,” he further noted, adding that the Israeli forces attack the mosque every day.
The al-Aqsa Mosque is Islam’s third-holiest site after Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia.
“This is not the first time that the settlers attack al-Aqsa Mosque. There are continuous attacks against East al-Quds (Jerusalem) and al-Aqsa,” said Sheikh Hassan Yousef, the leader of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas in the occupied West Bank.
In recent months, Israeli forces and settlers have stepped up their attacks on the mosque. This has led to violent confrontations between the two sides.
Israel has also imposed severe restrictions to prevent Muslim worshippers from entering the mosque.
The Israeli regime forces banned thousands of Palestinians, including men under the age of 50, from entering or praying in the holy site during this week’s Friday prayers.
The forces also encircled the people who held prayer services on the streets near the mosque. Dozens of Palestinians were injured when Israeli troops fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse those protesting the restrictions.
Earlier in February, Israeli forces stormed the holy site during Friday prayers. Israeli soldiers fired rubber bullets and stun grenades at the people who were praying at the mosque. At least 20 people, including children, were wounded in the violence.
Source: Press TV
