Scores of Jewish settlers desecrated the Aqsa Mosque in Occupied Jerusalem on Sunday morning and later in the afternoon.
At least 407 settlers entered the Mosque in different groups through its Maghariba Gate and toured its courtyards under tight police guard according to al-Qastal news website.
During their tours at the Islamic holy site the settlers received lectures from rabbis about the alleged temple mount and a number of them provocatively performed Talmudic prayers.
Meanwhile the Israeli occupation police imposed movement restrictions on Muslim worshipers at the Aqsa Mosque’s entrances and gates.
The Aqsa Mosque is exposed to daily desecration by Jewish settlers and police forces in the morning and the afternoon except on Fridays and Saturdays.
The Israeli police close al-Maghariba Gate which is used by Jews to enter the Mosque at 10:30 am after the settlers complete their morning tours at the holy site. Later in the afternoon the same gate is reopened for evening tours by settlers.
During the presence of settlers inside the Mosque compound entry restrictions are imposed on Muslim worshipers at the entrances leading to the Mosque and their IDs are seized until they leave the holy place.
In a related incident the Israeli occupation police allowed in the morning a horde of settlers to enter the Aqsa Mosque through al-Asbat Gate.
The Islamic Awqaf Administration in the holy city explained that a group of settlers exited the Mosque through al-Asbat Gate after entering the holy site through al-Maghariba Gate for morning tours but soon later they returned and entered the site again through al-Asbat Gate under police protection and then left through as-Silsila Gate.
The Islamic Awqaf condemned such practice by settlers and police officers as a “provocative step” and a “flagrant violation.”
