Knesset member and Israeli settlers storm Al-Aqsa

Israeli Knesset member, Shuli Mualem, along with dozens of Israeli settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot as reported on Ma’an News Agency. 

Firas al-Dibs, head of the Public Relations and Media Department at the Islamic Endowment, said that dozens of Israeli settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in successive groups and among them was MK Shuli Mualem, for the Jewish Home political party.

Al-Dibs added that Mualem along with the Israeli settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque through the Moroccan Gate, under heavy protection by the Israeli forces, who were also deployed across the compound since early morning.

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Many of the Israeli settlers performed religious Jewish prayers while in the compound. Al-Dibs mentioned that Israeli forces and police set up iron barriers at the entrances of the compound and confiscated ID’s of Muslim worshippers before allowing them entry.

The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, which sits just above the Western Wall plaza, houses both the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque. While Jewish visitation is permitted to the compound, non-Muslim worship at Al-Aqsa is prohibited according to an agreement signed between Israel and the Jordanian government after Israel’s illegal occupation of East Jerusalem in 1967.