Over 950 Israeli settlers attack worshipers in Al-Aqsa mosque

OCCUPIED AL-QUDS, (S)_Scores of  Israeli settlers stormed the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Sunday morning, attacking worshipers at the holy site and detaining many of them.

 

The Islamic Awqaf Department said that at 7:00 am, over 950 Israeli settlers started storming the holy site through the Chain and Moroccan gates under the protection of Israeli occupation forces, before they embarked on beating and assaulting the Muslim worshipers attending prayers at the mosque.

 

Israeli Police officers fired stun grenades and teargas canisters at the worshipers and forced many of them out of the holy site due to the intensity of teargas, according to WAFA. 

 

Meantime, the Israeli occupation force locked down the southern main building inside the holy site, and hundreds of worshipers were left inside and were unable to leave. Groups of Israeli settlers later broke into the courtyards after it was almost emptied of all Muslim worshipers by force.

Israeli extremist groups have called on settlers to force their way into Al-Aqsa complex in large numbers on July 18, on the occasion of the anniversary of what Israel calls “the destruction of the temple.”

 

Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world’s third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews call the area the “Temple Mount,” claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.

 

The so-called Sovereignty Movement in Israel is also preparing to organize a march for settlers around the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem on the same day.

 

Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. It annexed the entire city in 1980, in a move never recognized by the international community.

 

Basma Qaddour