Hundreds of extremists storm Al-Aqsa Mosque on first day of Jewish New Year

They were protected by Israeli police and led by the Israeli Minister of Agriculture, Uri Ariel, and extremist Rabbi Yehuda Glick, who lectured the intruders on the temple which Jewish extremists want to build at the site of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Israeli police gathered in large numbers outside the mosque, putting up barriers and prohibiting Palestinians from accessing the mosque after dawn prayers.

The extremists were able to access all areas of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. 

Jewish extremist groups which advocate for the demolition of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the building of a Jewish temple in its place had previously called on Israelis to storm the compound in large numbers across the three days of Rosh Hashanah, the festival which marks the start of the Jewish new year.

Today is the first day of Rosh Hashanah and it is expected that more Israeli extremists will attempt to enter the Al-Aqsa Mosque over the next couple of days.

The head of the Supreme Islamic Authority in Jerusalem, Sheikh Ikrema Sabri denounced the storming of the mosque saying that, “these intrusions are constantly being repeated, especially during Jewish festivals”.

He told the Arabi 21 news website that “through these incidents, the Israeli occupation wants to impose a new situation… but these attempts will fail because Muslims always stand up to them”.

Several Islamic organisations have called on Palestinians to go to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in order to stop further intrusions by Jewish extremists.

Sheikh Sabri criticised Arab and Islamic states for their inaction regarding Islam’s third holiest mosque, telling Arabi 21 “Arab and Islamic governments are just watching us, and some of them are ignoring the Jerusalem issue”.

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