OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)
Hundreds of extremist Jewish settlers desecrated on Tuesday morning the Aqsa Mosque in Occupied Jerusalem under tight police protection to mark what they call the destruction of the temple.
According to the Islamic Awqaf Administration in the holy city, the Israeli occupation police allowed over 2,250 settlers to enter the Aqsa Mosque and defile its courtyards while doing provocative practices, including singing the Israeli anthem, performing prayers, carrying the Zionist flag, and dancing.
The Awqaf Administration said that more settlers are expected to defile the Mosque’s courtyards in afternoon tours, pointing out that a number of Israeli ministers and officials were among the settler groups who toured the Islamic holy site in the morning.
Earlier, the Israeli police intensified the presence of their forces across the holy city, especially in the Old City and at the Mosque’s gates and the entrances and roads leading to it, and prevented many Muslim worshipers from entering their holy site.
The Mosque was defiled by about 411 settlers on Monday and 370 others on Sunday.
Under the status quo, non-Muslims may visit the Aqsa Mosque but cannot pray or perform sacrilegious practices. However, Jewish settlers have been increasingly defying the ban, something Palestinians consider serious provocation, fearing that the occupation regime intends to take over the Islamic holy site.
