Hundreds of illegal Israeli settlers, led by notorious minister Ben Gvir, storm al-Aqsa mosque
Hundreds of illegal Israeli settlers have stormed the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, with far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir joining them, sparking new tensions with Palestinian Muslims worshiping at the holy site.
More than 1,600 Israeli settlers, who were organized into 13 groups, intruded into al-Aqsa Mosque in the holy occupied city of al-Quds on Tuesday morning, according to the al-Aqsa Mosque affairs department, also referred to as the Waqf.
The settlers' intrusion into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound came in response to a call from extremist Jewish groups to commemorate Tisha B'Av, an annual Jewish fast day that marks the occurrence of several disasters in Jewish history.
The Waqf reported that Israeli forces prevented worshipers from accessing the courtyards of al-Aqsa Mosque, and deployed a significant presence at its entrances to enable the incursion of settlers into the holy Islamic site, which resulted in clashes with Palestinian worshipers.
Social media videos show Israeli settlers assaulting Palestinian worshipers while being heavily guarded by Israeli military forces.
The settlers entered the mosque through the western al-Mugharbah Gate, a route frequently used during such incursions, and raised the regime's flag within the al-Salsila entrance at al-Aqsa Mosque.
Hundreds of Israeli settlers headed by hard-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir broke into the courtyards of Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque on Tuesday and performed Talmudic rituals there, while being backed by well-armed Israeli forces. pic.twitter.com/3JA7XzFdHT
— Palestine Info Center (@palinfoen) August 13, 2024
In a provocative display, Israel's far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, accompanied by fellow minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf, took part in the intrusion.
Ben-Gvir, who is in charge of Israeli police, has consistently asserted that he believes Jews should be allowed to pray at the holy mosque, contrary to the law governing al-Aqsa Mosque.
Just last month, he led a similar incursion into the sacred mosque, heavily guarded by police and military personnel, marking the third such incident in under a year.
In a significant escalation, 411 settlers raided al-Aqsa Mosque on Monday, accompanied by Israeli occupation police, following a similar incident on Sunday when 370 settlers breached the site.
Preparations are underway by groups affiliated with the so-called “Temple Mount movement” to commemorate what they refer to as the "Destruction of the Temple."
Their activities included forming a human chain around the Old City walls, beginning at the Buraq Wall, stretching towards the Old City, and culminating in a flag-waving march.
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