20 JEWISH EXTREMIST STOMS AL AQSA UNDER OCCUPATION POLICE PROTECTION
Al Quds (Jerusalem), 1 Dzulhijah 1434/6 October 2013 (MINA) – Around 20 Jewish extremists stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Sunday morning under the protection of Israeli occupation forces.
The group entered the complex through Al-Magharbah Gate and wandered in the compound’s yards before leaving. They performed Jewish prayers, angering the Palestinian worshippers who were in the compound.
Tensions have been high in Al-Quds (occupied Jerusalem) in recent weeks with Jewish settlers — often accompanied by Israeli security forces – stormingAqsa Mosque complex, Islam’s third holiest site, on an almost daily basis.
Jews refer to Al-Aqsa as the “Temple Mount,” claiming it was the site of Jewish temples in ancient times, Anadolu Agency reported as monitored by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA).
On 17 September 2013, Scores of Jewish settlers led by a Jewish rabbi on Monday stormed the Aqsa Mosque compound in the holy city of Al-Quds (Jerusalem).
A total of 132 Jewish settlers, including 42 intelligence agents, toured the compound while listening to lectures on the history of the alleged “Temple Mount,” according to the Aqsa Foundation for Endowment and Heritage.
Dozens of Jewish settlers entered the holy Aqsa Mosque on Monday morning through the Maghareba gate under heavy occupation police protection.
Jerusalemite sources said that among those settlers was rabbi Yehuda Glick, of an organization called “The Movement for the Establishment of the Temple”, who is an ardent champion of demolishing the Aqsa Mosque and establishing the alleged temple in its place.
The sources said that the settlers entered in groups and toured the Mosque’s various plazas before getting out from Al-Silsela gate.
Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam’s third holiest site, has recently been the target of repeated violations by Jewish settlers, distressing Palestinian Muslims.
Provocative visits of the walled al-Aqsa compound by Jewish extremists have intensified lately due to the Jewish holidays.
Groups of Jewish settlers almost daily enter the holy site and organize tours inside it at specified times as part of a scheme to divide it on temporal basis.
For its part, Hebrew newspaper Ma’ariv said that growing numbers of Jews enter the Aqsa Mosque to offer Talmudic rituals.
Several small groups of hard-line Jewish extremists toured the compound since the early hours, listening to lectures by their rabbi on the importance of the place for Judaism.
Meanwhile, Israeli police kept a close eye on Palestinians entering the compound, checking their identity papers as they come in and leave it.
Last week, Israeli Housing Minister Uri Ariel entered the mosque compound in the company of his bodyguards and Israeli police officers.
One day later, scores of Jewish settlers – backed by Israeli security forces – stormed the compound and performed Jewish prayers at the site.
Palestinians fear the rise in the number of Jewish visits to the compound is a prelude to either dividing it or turning it in total into a Jewish shrine.
The Knesset (Israel’s parliament) had earlier called for opening the compound to Jews on all Jewish holidays.
Jews refer to Al-Aqsa as the “Temple Mount,” claiming the area had been the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.
They believe their messiah will not arrive until a third temple is built on the site.
Meanwhile, the Aqsa Foundation warned of attempts by Jewish groups to storm the iconic mosque during the Jewish holidays, which run from September 8 to 25.
The foundation said that Jewish groups campaigning to build a Jewish temple on the site “are penetrating all segments of Israeli society to propagate [the idea of] their alleged Temple Mount and to push for a stepped-up Israeli presence at the mosque.”
The Aqsa Foundation called on Palestinians to intensify their presence at the holy site in order to counter “the methods being used by Temple Mount groups. (T/P04/E1)
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
