Israel strengthens forces, trains for storming Al-Aqsa Mosque

The occupation police are preparing to recruit four reserve troops from the Border Guard forces to strengthen its elements in Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem. This is part of the Israeli occupation authorities’ annual efforts to link the month of Ramadan with violence, amid Israeli fears of a field escalation.

This was reported by the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation Kan 11 yesterday, and revealed that the occupation police will conduct a training exercise that simulates the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque “preparing for a possible unrest scenario” in the courtyards of the Muslim holy site during the month of Ramadan.

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The official Israeli channel said that the occupation is preparing to strengthen its forces with more reserve troops based on developments on the ground in Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque. It noted that “a new assessment of the security situation showed that the number of warnings of operations tripled in recent weeks compared to the previous period.”

It attributed “the sharp increase in warnings to the increase in the activities of the Israeli army in recent weeks in the West Bank.” Pointing out that the increase in forces may not be limited to the Border Guard Police in Jerusalem, but rather could include the deployment of more forces affiliated with the occupation army in the West Bank as well.

According to Kan 11, the Israeli occupation army is planning field reinforcements, and in the next two weeks, offensive units will be deployed throughout the West Bank, under the pretext of “thwarting possible operations.” Over the coming two weeks, about two or three battalions will be added and deployed throughout the occupied West Bank.

The news channel added that the main concerns of the Israeli security establishment are that during the month of Ramadan, the area of confrontations will extend outside the West Bank and reach Jerusalem and stated that “the actions of the Israeli army could lead to an escalation on the ground.”

The month of Ramadan begins at the end of March, when tens of thousands of worshippers flock daily to Al-Aqsa Mosque from Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Arab villages and cities in Israel.

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