Clashes at Al-Aqsa
Violent clashes broke out on Monday morning at Al-Aqsa Mosque after hundreds of Israeli forces raided the courtyards of Al-Aqsa through Dung and Al-Silsileh Gates under supervision by the Minister of Internal Security, Ishaq Ahranovich. The Israeli forces broke into Al-Aqsa Mosque after the worshippers left Al-Aqsa after finishing the Dawn Prayer around 6:10 a.m. The Special Forces were deployed in the courtyards of Al-Aqsa especially in the courtyards of the Dome of the Rock, Al-Qibali Mosque and Al-Marwani chapel and near Dung Gate. One of the Israeli forces’ teams evacuated the worshippers from the courtyards and assaulted them with batons while a group of Special Forces went on the roof of the Islamic Museum and for the first time on the roof of Al-Qibali Mosque while a third team damaged the windows near “Mehrab Zakaria”. A fourth group surrounded all the doors of Al-Qibali Mosque and closed it with iron chains and bars in addition to surrounding all the windows. The extremist settlers started raiding Al-Aqsa Mosque through 7:30 a.m. through Dung Gate in response to the call of the “Alleged Temple Union” of breaking io Al-Aqsa on occasion of “Throne Holiday”. The Israeli Authorities then imposed a complete seige on Al-Aqsa and prevented all Muslims from entering including the employees of Al-Awqaf and Al-Aqsa students which add up to more than 500 students. The Israeli forces prevented men under the age of 50 and all women from entering Al-Aqsa to perform the Dawn Prayer and many of them were forced to pray at the Gates. More than 60 extremists broke into Al-Aqsa Mosque in the form of consective groups including the extremist Moshe Feiglin, Deputy Speaker of the Knesset, who carried out a tour in the courtyards until reaching the courtyard of the Dome of the Rock and made a speech which was recorded and expressed how happy he is for entering the “Alleged Temple” on this day and thanked the police for their efforts in bringing the settlers in the Mosque. Al-Aqsa Gates witnessed scattered clashes especially near Hutta Gate and the forces pushed and assaulted the citizens and students. Around 10:00 a.m. the maksed forces raided the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque and were deployed across from Al-Qibali Mosque. The forces arrested Hajj Nihad Zghayar and a minor from the Old City of Jerusalem.
