In the ongoing tensions surrounding the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, also known as the Haram al-Sharif, in the occupied city of Jerusalem, extremist Jewish settlers once again made provocative moves on Sunday.
The Al-Aqsa compound holds significant religious and historical importance for both Muslims and Jews.
Muslims regard it as the third holiest site in Islam, while Jews revere it as their holiest site, known as the Temple Mount, where the First and Second Temples once stood.
Tensions often flare up when Jewish visitors, including religious nationalists and settlers, attempt to enter the compound, which is under the control of the Islamic Waqf, a religious trust.
These visits are typically accompanied by heavy security measures by Israeli forces, leading to confrontations with Palestinian worshippers and residents.
Today’s incident saw the entry of dozens of radical settlers through the Moroccan Gate, escorted by armed Israeli special police forces.
The settlers conducted tours and performed Talmudic rituals within the courtyards, actions viewed by Palestinians as deliberate provocations.
Furthermore, Israeli police restricted the entry of Palestinian worshippers into the Old City and Al-Aqsa compound, exacerbating tensions in the area.
The provocative actions coincide with plans by thousands of extremist settlers to storm the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood later today. They aim to celebrate the “Holiday of the Torch,” claiming a connection to a purported tomb within a cave in the area.
The situation underscores the ongoing tensions and competing claims to religious sites in Jerusalem, contributing to the volatile atmosphere in the region.
