Israeli forces, settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque at dawn

Dozens of settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem under the protection of the Israeli army in the early hours of Wednesday, according to local media reports.

The commander of the Israeli police brigade in Jerusalem, along with other officers, was among those taking part in the storming of the courtyards of the holy site, the Arabic news website Arabi21 reported.

Eyewitnesses said that settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque in groups, from the side of the Mughrabi Gate, performing religious rituals and parading provocatively through its grounds.

The incursion took place while Israeli forces carried out raids and arrests across the occupied West Bank.

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by مركز معلومات وادي حلوة - سلوان (@silwanic)

Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest place in Islam and a key Palestinian national symbol. Israelis refer to the area as the Temple Mount and say that it is the holiest site in Judaism.

Palestinians fear that Israel may one day seek to assert further control over the holy site and damage the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

East Jerusalem was occupied by Israel in 1967 and later annexed in a move never recognised by the international community.

Israel has this year stepped up a campaign of harassment and intimidation against Palestinians in the city - seizing homes to turn over to settlers, preventing worshippers from entering the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and allowing extremists to march through East Jerusalem and attack Palestinians.