Dozens of Israeli settlers stormed on Wednesday morning Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa Mosque—the third holiest site in Islam—via the Maghareba Gate.
Hordes of Israeli settlers escorted by policemen broke into al-Aqsa Mosque as part of the morning break-in shift and carried out a round of sacrilegious tours. Dozens more are expected to show up at the site in the next few hours.
Israeli intelligence officers and police also defiled the site and protected the settlers all the way through the break-in.
The Muslim worshipers raised fears that the site would be turned into a military barrack after Israeli police troops intensified their presence at and around the site.
At the same time the peaceful Muslim worshipers have been subjected to tough crackdowns and restrictions by the Israeli police near the main entrances to the site. Several worshipers have been searched and dozens more have had their IDs seized while attempting to enter al-Aqsa to perform their daily prayers.
