Settlers Raid al-Aqsa Mosque & Police Force Out Worshipers
On Monday around 50 Israeli settlers raided al-Aqsa in celebration of what they call "Porim". The settlers were guarded by dozens of policemen.
The Israeli forces checked ID cards of men and women at the mosque's gates, preventing many men under 45 years from entering. Some people had their ID cards withheld by forces. The forces also put iron borders at al-Aqsa's gates.
Eye witnesses said 44 Israeli settlers raided the mosques with four intelligence agents. They toured its yards with the protection of the police. The Murabitin of al-Aqsa and a few Palestinians from Israel started to shout “Allahu Akbar” (God is great) in condemnation of the settlers' actions. In response, police attacked one protester with a taser and pepper spray before taking him out of al-Aqsa. Two other men were held, accused of shouting “Allahu Akbar” in al-Aqsa; other men were also taken out.
Meanwhile the Palestinians shut the gate of the Qible mosque to prevent forces from entering.
The al-Aqsa organisation for Waqf and heritage said the Israeli authorities and settlers stated an operation of raids will take place in al-Aqsa in the following days and weeks as a part of the Jewish Holidays. This was stated via the Israeli media and is expected to happen in the early morning of 25th February 2013. Among those involved in the raid are settlers from "Keryat 4". The al-Aqsa organisation also stated a few Israeli authorities invited people to increase the numbers raiding al-Aqsa in efforts to rush the building of the "Claimed Temple".
