Hundreds of illegal Israeli settlers stormed into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem on Wednesday morning to mark the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, a Jerusalem Islamic Waqf official said.
The official, who requested anonymity, told Anadolu that hundreds of illegal Israeli settlers entered the mosque compound under Israeli police protection.
The incursions included the performance of Talmudic rituals, prayers, dancing and singing, in violation of the status quo at the mosque, the official said.
The historical status quo predating Israel’s occupation of East Jerusalem in 1967 stipulates that the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf, affiliated with Jordan’s Ministry of Endowments, has exclusive responsibility for administering the affairs of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, which covers 144 dunams (about 14.4 hectares), as a place of worship exclusively for Muslims.
Far-righ Israeli groups had called for large-scale incursions into Al-Aqsa during Sukkot, which began on Saturday and runs through Friday.
The Jerusalem Islamic Waqf said earlier that more than 1,500 illegal Israeli settlers entered the mosque compound on Sunday, more than 1,700 on Monday and over 1,400 on Tuesday.
Incursions into Al-Aqsa have intensified since the start of the Jewish holidays, amid a heightened presence of Israeli forces and increased restrictions in Jerusalem.
The holidays began with the Jewish New Year on September 12 and 13, followed by Yom Kippur on September 21 and 22. Sukkot runs from September 26 to October 2, followed by Simchat Torah on October 3.
Since 2003, Israeli police have unilaterally allowed illegal settlers to enter Al-Aqsa through the Mughrabi Gate in the Al-Buraq Wall (Western Wall), accompanied by police officers.
The Jerusalem Islamic Waqf has repeatedly called for an end to the incursions, but Israeli authorities have not responded to the calls.
Palestinians say Israel has intensified for decades measures aimed at Judaising occupied East Jerusalem, including the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and erasing its Arab and Islamic identity.
Palestinians regard East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, as the capital of a future Palestinian state, based on international resolutions that do not recognise Israel’s occupation of the city in 1967.
