Muslims, Christians across Palestine under Threat by Israeli Settlers
Extremist Jewish settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem al-Quds on Tuesday, raising Israeli flags in the courtyard as part of escalating violations against Islam’s third holiest site.
The so-called “Statue Community” — which advocates for demolishing Al-Aqsa and erecting a statue of Solomon — led the raid under Israeli police protection. Similar provocations occurred at the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron. Palestinian officials condemned the incursions as a “direct assault on the sanctity of Al-Aqsa” and an attempt to impose Judaization on occupied East al-Quds.
Attempts to bring sacrificial animals
Local sources reported that members of the Statue Community have intensified efforts to smuggle sacrificial animals into Al-Aqsa to perform Jewish ritual slaughter — a practice strictly prohibited under the status quo that places the compound under Muslim custodianship.
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Despite multiple attempts, including seven on Sunday, the group has so far failed to bring animals inside. East al-Quds has been occupied by Israel since 1967, but Al-Aqsa remains under the administration of Islamic waqf authorities.
Systemic targeting of Palestinian Christians
Data reveals a broader pattern of systemic pressure on Christians living under Israeli occupation. In 2024, 111 hate crimes against Christians were recorded in occupied Palestinian territories, including 46 physical assaults. In 2025, incidents rose 63% to 181. According to the Rossing Center, 48% of Christian youth under 30 are considering leaving Palestine due to rising discrimination and violence. Spitting remains the most common form of harassment, accounting for 60-80% of incidents in al-Quds’s Old City. Attacks have included grave desecration, church vandalism, and the targeting of the Armenian Quarter. Israeli forces have also repeatedly struck churches in Gaza, destroying historic sites including the Saint Porphyrius Church.
Source: en.yenisafak.com
