Ramallah, MINA – Illegal Israeli settlers are planning to storm the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem on Sunday to mark Tisha B’Av, a Jewish day of mourning commemorating the destruction of the First and Second Temples.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned the plan as a dangerous provocation, accusing Israel of exploiting religious occasions to advance “colonial and expansionist agendas” and alter the historic and legal status quo of Islamic and Christian holy sites.
“This reflects Israel’s determination to target Al-Aqsa and tighten its control over one of Islam’s holiest sites,” the ministry said in a statement Saturday, as quoted by Anadolu Agency. It urged the international community to take concrete action to protect Palestinians, especially in Jerusalem.
The Jerusalem Governorate warned that the move could trigger “dangerous escalation,” stressing it is part of an organized effort to undermine Al-Aqsa’s historical status and impose Israeli sovereignty.
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Earlier, far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir instructed police to allow settlers to sing and dance inside the compound, moves widely seen as deliberate provocations. The Islamic Waqf, which manages Al-Aqsa, reported a surge in violations since Ben-Gvir took office in late 2022.
The attack in the occupied West Bank has escalated since the Gaza genocide erupted in October 2023, leaving over 1,000 Palestinians dead and 7,000 injured. In Gaza, nearly two years of Israeli aggression have killed more than 60,000 people, mostly women and children.[]
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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