On Tuesday morning, for the third consecutive day of the Jewish Passover holiday, hundreds of extremist Jewish settlers stormed the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque – Al-Haram Al-Sharif in occupied Jerusalem, under heavy protection from the Israeli occupation police.
اضافة اعلان
In a statement, the Islamic Waqf Department in Jerusalem said the raids were carried out through the Moroccan Gate in successive groups, during which settlers performed provocative tours and rituals within the mosque’s courtyards, including public dances.
The occupation forces imposed strict security measures, turning Al-Aqsa Mosque and its surroundings into a military zone. Many Palestinians were prevented from entering, and their ID cards were confiscated at the outer gates. The occupation also increased the presence of special units throughout Jerusalem’s streets, coinciding with the Jewish Passover holiday.
Yesterday, Monday, Al-Aqsa Mosque witnessed a large-scale raid involving 1,149 settlers who entered in coordinated groups under heavy police protection. Significant reinforcements were deployed in the Old City, which resembled a closed military zone. During the incursions, some settlers performed the "Priestly Blessing" rituals — traditional Torah-based ceremonies usually associated with offering sacrifices.
Meanwhile, the extremist group "Temple Mount is in Our Hands" launched promotional campaigns to encourage incursions into the mosque. These campaigns included subsidized transportation and free tours for settlers as part of what they called the "central days of storming" during the holiday, urging settlers to book and participate in large numbers.
The "Torah Passover," which began Saturday evening, is considered one of the most important Jewish holidays. It is also seen as one of the most dangerous times for Al-Aqsa Mosque due to its associated rituals and Judaization practices.
The holiday lasts for a week, ending at sunset next Saturday. It includes five days of planned incursions, from Sunday through Thursday, with the gates to Al-Aqsa closed to settlers on Friday and Saturday.
The rituals performed by settlers during these incursions include public prayers in the mosque courtyards facing the Dome of the Rock, reading from the Book of Exodus, and some of the settlers — particularly those from the so-called "priestly class" — wearing white "atonement" garments in an attempt to symbolically lead the Torah-based rituals inside Al-Aqsa, claiming it as a center of Jewish worship.
In response, Palestinian calls continue to urge intensified presence and Ribat (spiritual guarding) at Al-Aqsa from the early hours of dawn to confront the plans of extremist settlers and prevent attempts to bring in "sacrifices" or perform Talmudic rituals within the sacred compound. — (Petra)
