ISRAELI FORCES STORM AQSA MOSQUE COMPOUND, ASSAULT WOMAN

    Jerusalem, 3 Muharram 1435/6 November 2013 (MINA) – Israeli occupation forces on Wednesday stormed the Aqsa Mosque compound in the city of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) and assaulted a Jerusalemite woman who tried to stop them from entering a mosque in the complex.

     “The [Israeli] police entered the Aqsa compound and tried to storm the Marawni Mosque,” the woman, who asked to remain anonymous, told Anadolu Agency quoted by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

      “So we tried to stop them by closing the mosque entrance and shouting ‘Allahu Akbar‘,” she said.

      The woman had been inside the mosque at the time, where she studies Quran.

     “One police officer assaulted me using his hands and legs, while the other officers prevented other students from intervening,” she said.

      Two students – identified as Akram Abu Afifa, 22, and Yousef al-Shorfa, 24 – were arrested for protesting the incident and attempting to protect the woman from her Israeli attackers.

      The assault left the woman with slight injuries. She was later treated at the compound’s clinic.

      Al-Aqsa compound guard Naser Kos confirmed the incident.

      “About 40 police officers stormed the Aqsa compound through the Dung Gate and tried to enter the Marawni Mosque,” Kos told AA.

      “But students held their ground, preventing the police from entering the mosque,” he said.

      “Israeli police closed the Aqsa Mosque’s main gates for ten minute after the clashes,” Kos added.

      Police eventually left after taking the ID cards of all the female students in the area.

     In recent weeks, groups of Jewish settlers – often accompanied by Israeli security forces – have repeatedly entered the Aqsa Mosque complex, considered Islam’s third holiest site.

      The frequent violations anger Palestinian Muslims and occasionally lead to violent clashes in the mosque compound.

      Wednesday’s attack took place only a few days after the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) debated proposed legislation that would “divide” the Al-Aqsa site between Muslims and Jews.

      Jews refer to Al-Aqsa as the “Temple Mount,” claiming the area was the site of two prominent Jewish temples in ancient times.

     “Al-Aqsa is in serious danger,” the assaulted woman asserted. “A day doesn’t pass without a raid [on Al-Aqsa] by [Israeli] police or extremist [Jewish] settlers.” (T/P09/P04).

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)