Dozens of Israeli settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied Jerusalem this morning, accompanied by a heavy presence of Israeli occupation police, according to local sources.
The Islamic Waqf Authority in Jerusalem said scores of settlers entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque in separate groups. They conducted provocative tours through the courtyards of the mosque, received explanations about the alleged “Temple,” and performed Talmudic rituals near the Dome of the Rock.
This latest incident adds to the ongoing tensions surrounding Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third most revered site in Islam. The entry of settlers into the compound, backed by Israeli security forces, is often met with condemnation from Palestinian officials and religious authorities.
The Islamic Waqf Authority has repeatedly called for international intervention to prevent these incursions, which are seen as a direct challenge to the status quo of the holy site and an affront to the sentiments of Muslims worldwide.
The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, also known as Al-Haram Al-Sharif, has been at the center of recurring confrontations between Palestinians and Israeli occupation forces due to the frequent provocative raids by Israeli settlers and forces to the holy site.
