Hamas warns of settler intrusions into Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa to celebrate Hanukkah

Palestinian resistance group has warned of grave consequences from planned settler intrusions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, reports Anadolu Agency.

Settler groups have called on supporters to force their way into the flashpoint site on Sunday to celebrate the 8-day holiday.

In a Saturday statement, Hamas termed the planned setter intrusions as a “dangerous escalation and a provocation of Palestinian sentiments”.

“We hold the Israeli occupation government fully responsible for the repercussions of these raids and provocations,” the Palestinian group warned.

READ: Scores of Israelis storm Al-Aqsa complex in Jerusalem

Hamas went on to call on Palestinians “to defend the Al-Aqsa Mosque by intensifying their presence” at the holy site.

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

Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. It annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move never recognized by the international community.