Hundreds of illegal Israeli settlers storm Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque to celebrate Jewish holiday

Hundreds of illegal Israeli settlers forced their way into the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem today to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, a Palestinian agency said.

The Islamic Endowment Department in Jerusalem said in a statement that more than 500 illegal settlers entered the holy site in groups under the protection of Israeli occupation forces.

Eyewitnesses told Anadolu that the settlers entered the flashpoint site through the Al-Mughrabi Gate, west of the holy mosque.

According to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa, the settlers performed Talmudic rituals at the mosque’s gates to mark Shavuot, also known as the Feast of Weeks.

Since 2003, Israel has allowed illegal settlers into the compound almost on a daily basis with the exception of Fridays and Saturdays.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world’s third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews call the area the “Temple Mount”, claiming it was 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 recognised by the international community.

READ: Israel’s Ben-Gvir visits Al-Aqsa Mosque to celebrate capture of East Jerusalem