3,228 Israeli settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem on Thursday, under the protection of the Israeli police, on what is called the anniversary of the “destruction of the Temple,” according to the Islamic Waqf Department in the city.
She stated that among the intruders were National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Likud MK Amit Halevi.
More settlers are expected to storm the mosque after noon prayers.
The Jerusalem Governorate stated in a statement issued today, Thursday, that the occupation police allowed an increase in the number of members of a single group during the raids to reach about 150 settlers.
She noted that the occupation forces continue to impose strict measures at the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque and in the vicinity of the Old City, and are deployed intensively in the various courtyards of the mosque and prevent worshippers from entering it, noting that a very limited number of worshippers were able to reach the mosque during the dawn prayer and perform the prayer, before the occupation forces assaulted a number of citizens and worshippers by beating them.
The governorate noted that the settlers continue to perform Talmudic rituals during their incursions, including wearing tefillin wraps, performing what is called “epic prostration” in the eastern area of Al-Aqsa Mosque, in addition to chanting hymns loudly, while extremist “Temple” groups continue to mobilize their supporters with the aim of reaching 5,000 settlers during today’s incursions.
The Palestinian Ministry of Religious Endowments and Affairs warned that Israel is seeking to “ignite a religious war” by targeting the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
This came in a statement in which the ministry condemned the storming of the mosque courtyards by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Knesset member Amit Halevi and more than 2,500 settlers, under the protection of the Israeli police.
She stressed that the raid represents “a flagrant violation of the sanctity of Islamic holy sites, and a serious transgression against the historical and legal status quo at the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.”
She added that exploiting Jewish occasions to intensify incursions and perform Talmudic rituals inside Al-Aqsa Mosque comes within the framework of “the occupation’s systematic plans to impose temporal and spatial division as a fait accompli.”
She stressed that Al-Aqsa Mosque, “with its total area of 144 dunams, is the exclusive right of Muslims alone, and is not subject to division or partnership.”
She warned that these practices emanating from “the highest political levels in the occupation government” seek to “ignite a religious war in the entire region.”
The Palestinian Presidency condemned on Thursday the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyards by settlers, led by Itamar Ben-Gvir and Knesset member Amit Halevi, stressing that it was a “flagrant violation” of the existing historical and legal status quo.
The Palestinian Presidency said in a statement carried by the Palestinian News Agency “WAFA” that “the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque by Ben Gvir and the settlers and the performance of Talmudic rituals in the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque represent a dangerous escalation that falls within a systematic Israeli policy aimed at imposing new realities in the mosque and dividing it temporally and spatially.”
The Presidency called on the international community to “assume its responsibilities and take a firm stance that compels Israel to stop all its violations and unilateral actions in Jerusalem and the rest of the occupied Palestinian territories.”
For its part, Jordan warned of the consequences of Ben-Gvir, a number of Knesset members, and groups of settlers storming the Al-Aqsa Mosque, calling for Israel to be obligated to stop its violations of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.
The Jordanian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by Ben-Gvir, members of the Knesset, and settlers, under the protection of the Israeli police, and the accompanying attacks on worshippers, provocative actions, and raising of Israeli flags, represent a “flagrant violation” of the historical and legal status quo in the Noble Sanctuary, a “desecration” of the sanctity of the mosque, and an “unacceptable provocation.”
The Kingdom affirmed its “absolute rejection and strong condemnation of the continued unacceptable incursions by ministers, Knesset members, and extremist settlers, and the facilitation by the Israeli occupation police of theongoing incursions into the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.”
She considered that the Israeli police’s facilitation of these incursions constitutes a violation of international law and international humanitarian law, and “a violation of Islamic and Christian holy sites in occupied Jerusalem.”
She added that these practices aim to impose new realities at Al-Aqsa Mosque by attempting to divide it temporally and spatially, stressing that “Israel has no sovereignty over the occupied city of Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian holy sites.”
It called on the international community to “take a firm stance that compels Israel, as the occupying power, to stop its ongoing violations against Islamic and Christian holy sites, and all provocative practices by Israeli officials and extremists.”
She explained that “these provocations are a continuation of the Israeli government’s policy aimed at continuing the dangerous escalation in the occupied West Bank.”
She reiterated that “the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, with its entire area of 144 dunams, is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims, and that the Jerusalem Waqf and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department, affiliated with the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf, Islamic Affairs and Holy Places, is the legal authority with exclusive jurisdiction to manage all its affairs and regulate entry to it.”
