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Dozens of Israeli settlers storm Al-Aqsa complex

September 20, 2020 at 11:49 am

An Israeli flag flies in front of the Dome of the Rock mosque near the al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem’s Old City, on 24 August 2020. [AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP via Getty Images]

Dozens of Israeli settlers forced their way into Jerusalem’s flashpoint Al-Aqsa complex on Sunday in celebration of the Jewish New Year, Anadolu reports.

In a statement, the Jerusalem Awqaf Department said 76 settlers backed by Israeli police forces had entered the compound.

According to an Anadolu Agency reporter, the settlers toured the courtyard in celebration of the Jewish Rosh Hashanah, which falls from Sunday to Thursday.

Right-wing Jewish supporters have called on supporters over the past few days to converge on the Al-Aqsa compound to celebrate the occasion.

On Saturday, an Israeli settler attempted to blow in a shofar inside the flashpoint compound, but he was kicked out by the guards.

Al-Aqsa represents the world’s third-holiest site for Muslims, while Jews refer to the area as the “Temple Mount,” claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem, in which the Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War.

In a move never recognized by the international community, Israel annexed the entire city in 1980, claiming it as the Jewish state’s “eternal and undivided” capital.

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