LONDON: Hundreds of Israeli settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque in the walled city of occupied East Jerusalem on Monday, escorted by police on the last day of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot.
Groups of settlers entered the compound from Al-Maghrabah Gate, which is fully controlled by Israeli authorities, and performed prayers including the Talmudic ritual of “epic prostration” while wearing priestly garb, according to the Wafa news agency.
Settlers also brought “plant offerings” for the Sukkot, also referred to as the Feast of Tabernacles, according to a statement from the Islamic Waqf Department in Jerusalem, which administers the holy site.
Israeli forces increased security in the Old City of Jerusalem, installing barriers and restricting entry for Muslim worshippers and local Palestinians, it added.
During a separate Sukkot celebration, hundreds of Jewish settlers stormed Joseph’s Tomb, located east of Nablus in the occupied West Bank, on Sunday night, under heavy military protection, to conduct prayers inside the shrine. The provocative action by settlers sparked clashes with Palestinian protesters; however, no injuries were reported, Wafa added.
Israeli forces conducted a series of overnight raids in towns and villages, resulting in the arrest of 19 Palestinians, including former prisoners, according to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club.
