Day 243 Jerusalem during “Al-Aqsa Flood” Operation
On the 243rd day of "Al-Aqsa Flood Operation", tens of thousands of settlers stormed the city of Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque, on the anniversary of the occupation of the eastern part of the city, which is called “Jerusalem Day.”
Violations, attacks, and complete invasion of Jerusalem, especially Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Old City, were recorded during the day. The Wadi Hilweh Information Center staff monitored what happened.
Al-Aqsa Mosque
The Islamic Endowments Department said that 1,601 settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque, 1,184 during the morning raids (7-11:30 a.m.), and 417 during the afternoon raids (1:30-2:30), through the Dung Gate, the keys of which are controlled by the occupation authorities since the occupation of the city.
Among the intruders were Minister of “Development of the Negev and Galilee” Yitzhak Wasserlauf, Knesset Member Yitzhak Kreutzer, dozens of rabbis and settlers from various West Bank and Jerusalem settlements, and officials of the groups and organizations of the alleged Temple.
The settlers performed collective and public prayers in Al-Aqsa, formed dancing and singing circles, and chanted the “Israeli anthem.” They also raised Israeli flags, wore them, and performed their prayers.
One of the rabbis stormed Al-Aqsa wearing the “tefillin amulet” designated for prayer inside the synagogue, and provided explanations about the “alleged temple.”
Dozens of settlers wore T-shirts that read, “The Temple Mount is in our hands,” and a picture of the demolition of Al-Aqsa and the building of the Temple in its place, or they put up posters for “the Temple.”
Over the course of hours on Weansday, “from dawn until the evening,” the occupation authorities imposed restrictions on the entry of Muslims into Al-Aqsa. During the dawn prayer and until the Afternoon prayer, they prevented the entry of young men and women, and a small number of elderly people were allowed to enter Al-Aqsa, and after that the measures taken in the city prevented worshippers from reaching Al-Aqsa.
The forces were present in large numbers at the gates of Al-Aqsa and the roads leading to it.
The Old City and the “Flag Dance” Parade
Tens of thousands stormed the Old City in the “annual flag march.” The march began from west Jerusalem toward the Jaffa Gate, New Gate, Damascus Gate, and Al-Wad Street, all the way to the Al-Buraq Wall. Among the participants were Internal Security Minister Itamar Ben Gavir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. Heritage Minister Amichai Elyiahu, Chairman of the Constitution, Judiciary and Law Committee Simha Rotman, and members of the Knesset.
The settlers raised Israeli flags and racist slogans, and formed dancing and singing circles.
In the Damascus Gate area, a place for settlers to gather, pray and dance, the settlers chanted racist slogans, “insulting the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, slogans calling for the burning of Palestinian villages and camps, especially the Shu’fat refugee camp in Jerusalem.” They also directed profanity and obscene movements during the march.
The settlers attacked merchants and Jerusalemites in the afternoon hours, vandalizing the contents of the shops and assaulting them with beatings, pushing, pepper gas, and profanity. They forced the store owners to close their shops after threatening them.
The settlers also attacked the press crews by beating, pushing, chasing, and insulting them. They also threw sticks, stones, and plastic water bottles at them.
The forces closed all roads and streets leading to Damascus Gate, placed barriers and iron barricades in Nablus Street, Al-Musrara, Sultan Suleiman Street, Herods Gate, and Salah Al-Din Street, and prevented Palestinians from arriving or walking in a number of areas and streets, and even the people of the Old City were prevented from returning to their homes or leaving them.
The Jerusalemite activist, Mohammad Abu Al-Hummos, stood in the middle of the Damascus Gate area and chanted, “Jerusalem is free and Arab,” and dozens of settlers attacked him with insults and profanity, while the forces arrested him.
Al-Buraq Wall
Throughout the day, the Al-Buraq Wall was not spared from raids, and tens of thousands of settlers invaded the place and performed collective prayers inside it.
Massive arrests
The forces carried out separate arrests from the city of Jerusalem, and the lawyers of the Wadi Hilweh Information Center, Firas Al-Jabrini and Siraj Abu Arafa, explained that the number of arrests reached 20 detainees, some of whom were released, while 11 of them were extended until Thursday.
Raids
Settlers stormed the Al-Tur, Al-Sowaneh, and Sheikh Jarrah neighborhoods in the morning hours, and performed prayers, dancing, and singing.
