Dozens of Jewish settlers under Israeli police protection forced their way into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East al-Quds (Jerusalem), media reports said.
“At least 49 settlers protected by ten Israeli special forces troops stormed the compound early this morning,” a Palestinian guard at the holy site said on Monday, Andolu news agency reported.
According to the guard, the settlers forced their way into the compound through the Al-Magharbeh Gate and toured the complex for 15 minutes before departing through the Al-Silisleh Gate.
“For three hours, I tried to enter the holy compound from several gates. Each time, I was denied access by the Israeli police,” one woman barred from entering the complex said.
“They are trying to keep us out of the place so as to facilitate the (Jewish) settlers’ intrusion,” the woman, requesting anonymity, added. “But it won’t work – every day, we thwart their plots.”
Tension has been running high in East Jerusalem since Israel closed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound late last month week following the shooting of an extremist rabbi in West Jerusalem.
