JERUSALEM: Around 1,390 illegal Israeli settlers entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem on Sunday, escorted by Israeli police, the Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem said.
The illegal Israeli settlers accessed the holy site through the Mughrabi Gate, which is located in the western wall of the mosque. Eyewitnesses reported that far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir joined the settlers in performing Talmudic rituals at the compound.
Ben Gvir, a controversial figure in Israeli politics, was seen welcoming the illegal settlers at the entrance of the complex.
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Since 2003, Israel has allowed illegal Israeli settlers to enter the compound on a near-daily basis, with the exception of Fridays and Saturdays. These visits are frequently a source of friction, as Palestinians view them as provocations and part of Israel’s broader agenda to assert control over occupied East Jerusalem.
Israel seized East Jerusalem, including the Al-Aqsa Mosque, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War and annexed the entire city in 1980. This annexation has never been recognized by the international community, and the status of East Jerusalem remains one of the most contentious issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Muslims worldwide have repeatedly condemned the settler incursions as violations of the holy site’s sanctity.
