Al-Quds, MINA – Groups of Jewish illegal settlers stormed the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque on Thursday morning, performing Talmudic rituals under the heavy protection of Israeli occupation police, Palestine Information Center reported.
Local sources reported that dozens of settlers entered Al-Aqsa in successive groups, carrying out provocative prayers, including the so-called “epic prostration.”
Israeli police tightened restrictions at the mosque’s gates and throughout the Old City, obstructing Palestinian worshippers’ access and harassing residents.
In recent days, the Israeli occupation authorities have escalated a campaign of summonses against former Palestinian prisoners in Jerusalem. Their homes have been raided, they have been summoned for interrogation, and handed new expulsion orders from Al-Aqsa Mosque.
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This campaign has targeted dozens of ex-detainees, worshippers, and others previously banned from the mosque, just days before settlers’ plans for mass incursions to mark the Jewish New Year.
Last week alone, 604 settlers stormed Al-Aqsa, along with another 351 who entered under the guise of tourism.
Meanwhile, an extremist Jewish group has called on its followers to stage large-scale incursions into Al-Aqsa from September 22 to 24 to mark the New Year. The annual event has often seen settlers performing rituals linked to the so-called Temple, including the blowing of the shofar.
Al-Aqsa Mosque witnessed unprecedented violations in August, described as the most serious attacks in decades, with both Israeli police and settlers involved. Data shows that more than 8,134 settlers stormed the mosque last month, performing rituals such as blowing the shofar inside its courtyards.
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In response, Jerusalemite groups and Palestinians from across the 1948 occupied territories continue to call for mass mobilization and presence at Al-Aqsa Mosque. They emphasize the importance of collective prayers and steadfast presence in the courtyards as a practical means to confront Israeli attempts to restrict worshippers and sever Al-Aqsa from its Palestinian and Islamic identity. []
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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