Hundreds of Zionist settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque on Monday, backed by Israeli occupation forces, who also have been tightening security measures near Gaza on the Jewish holiday.
Palestinian media reported that nearly 500 Zionist settlers broke into the holy compound on Monday, after carrying out same provocative move earlier on Sunday.
Groups of Israeli settlers got into Al-Aqsa from its Al-Magharbeh Gate on the so-called Yom Kippur Jewish holiday. Backed by occupation forces, the Zionist settlers staged provocative tours in the courtyards of Islam’s third holiest site.
Israeli occupation forces arrested Palestinian journalist as he was covering one the settlers’ incursions into the holy compound.
Israeli occupation forces detain #Palestinian journalist Abdel-Rahman Alami from the Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyards in occupied #Jerusalem, today. pic.twitter.com/o2opKicahl
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) September 25, 2023
Occupation troops also forced Palestinian residents of the holy city of Al-Quds to close their shops for the Jewish holiday.
This how the occupied Jerusalem looks like after Israeli occupation forces evacuated it and forced its residents to close their shops in preparation for their holiday. pic.twitter.com/3ApSfj7oTD
— AlQastal News (@QastalNewsEn) September 25, 2023
The Islamic Waqf (Endowment)in Al-Quds slammed the Israeli provocations, stressig that the occupation authorities are imposing the temporal and spatial division of the holy site by alowing the entrance of the settlers.
Earlier on Sunday, more than 600 settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque, also protected by occupation forces.
Saudi, Egypt Condemn Storming of Al-Aqsa
Commenting on Sunday’s incursions, Saudi Arabia denounced “the continuous provocative practices carried out by a group of extremists at Al-Aqsa Mosque under the protection of Israeli occupation forces.”
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed the Kingdom’s “regret for the practices carried out by Israeli authorities that undermine international peace efforts and contradict international principles and norms regarding respecting religious sanctities.”
#Statement | The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s condemnation of the continuous provocative practices carried out by a group of extremists at Al-Aqsa Mosque under the protection of Israeli occupation forces. pic.twitter.com/r1sE55ABjG
— Foreign Ministry 🇸🇦 (@KSAmofaEN) September 24, 2023
For its part, Egypt also condemned the Israeli provocations, with its Foreign Ministry saying that this step represents “a new episode in a series of escalatory measures that provoke the feelings of millions of Muslims around the world, and carry with it the risk of fueling violence and tension in the occupied Palestinian territories.”
Israeli Reiforcements near Gaza
Meanwhile on Sunday, Israeli occupation army announced it was reinforcing troops along the Gaza Strip border Sunday, as tensions were high along the frontier between the besieged enclave and the occupied territories.
“In line with a situational assessment, it was decided to add a battalion to the Gaza Division,” the occupation military said in a statement.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant toured the border region Sunday along with Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, and the two met top commanders to review latest developments.
Source: Al-Manar English Website and Palestinian media
