Hundreds of Israeli settlers on Sunday raided the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque from "Bab Al Magharbeh," on the occasion of the "Feast of the Revelation of the Torah", to be celebrated on Monday. The Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs said some settlers, who carried out provocative tours in the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque, have performed Talmudic rituals. In a statement, the ministry added that occupation forces closed the doors of the Qibla Mosque with iron chains to secure the incursions and protect the settlers. On its part, the Media Department in Jerusalem governorate said that occupation forces fired tear gas, sound and rubber-coated bullets towards worshipers who performed Al-Duha prayer at the Qibla hall. In a similar statement, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned the raids saying "we are following with great concern the situation in Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque at all levels, and in full coordination with Jordan to mobilize the broadest international and American front for pressuring the occupying state to stop it." The Ministry said, "double standards globally and absence of the international will to respect relevant UN resolutions have become a cover and protection for the flagrant Israeli incursions and violations of international law." On Saturday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, discussing the situation in the occupied lands. The scores of Israeli settlers that entered the holy site in groups and had performed rituals and Talmudic prayers there under the protection of Israeli police officers, witnesses said. Dozens of Muslim worshipers who had been inside the compound since last night were chased by police into the southern building and locked down there to secure the provocative visit of the Israeli settlers. The latest development comes after nearly two months of growing tensions fueled by increased presence by hardcore Israeli settlers inside the holy site during the past Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Last week, scores of Muslim worshipers were injured by Israeli police as they escorted hundreds of Jewish radicals who stormed the holy site to mark the anniversary of the so-called Israeli unification of East and West Jerusalem. Jerusalem's Islamic Waqf has repeatedly described the settlers' presence in Al-Aqsa Mosque as "provocative", and said that Palestinian worshippers and guards at Al-Aqsa feel uncomfortable with the presence of Israeli police and settlers touring the Islamic holy site. — Agencies
