195 colonial Israeli settlers break into Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque

Dozens of colonial Israeli settlers broke into Al-Aqsa Mosque in the occupied city of Jerusalem while being backed by well-armed Israeli occupation forces on Sunday.

Al-Qastal, a Palestinian network hub for Palestinians in occupied Jerusalem, said 195 colonial Israeli settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque in groups and performed Talmudic rituals and epic ‏prostration while being backed by armed Israeli occupation forces today.

The settlers broke into the holy site through the Al-Mughrabi Gate, one of the Gates of the Old City of Jerusalem and is under full-Israeli control, and left it through the Al-Silsila Gate.

Israeli occupation authorities have allowed settler incursions to the mosque since 2003, under the forces’ protection.

In 2021, 34,562 settlers broke into the holy site, setting a new record, as in 2020, 19,000 settlers broke into the mosque and 29,700 settlers in 2019, according to Al-Qastal.

There have been repeated objections and warnings by the Palestinian religious authorities as the settlers’ incursions provoke Palestinian worshippers of the mosque.

Israeli forces always facilitate and protect the settlers while preventing Palestinian worshipers from entering it, assaulting and detaining them.

The Al-Aqsa mosque is one of the holiest sites in Islam. Jews refer to the area as the “Temple Mount”, claiming it was the site of two prominent Jewish temples in ancient times. The complex also includes the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, one of the most sacred Christian sites in the world.