Israeli settlers break into Al-Aqsa Mosque

Some 1,400 Israeli settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Tuesday morning under heavy police protection, according to the Islamic Endowments in the City of Al-Quds.

Al-Aqsa is Islam’s third holiest site and a symbol of Palestinian national identity but it is also Judaism’s holiest place. Tisha B’Av is a Jewish day of mourning for the destruction of the site of an ancient temple by the Romans in 70 AD.

The settlers broke into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied Palestinian territories and performed rituals, Shehab news agency reported.

This comes on the anniversary of the so-called “Second Temple’s Destruction”.

Ben-Gvir, who heads a hardline political party on which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government depends, led more than 2,000 Israelis through the compound singing Jewish hymns under the protection of Israeli police, an official from the Waqf, the Jordanian body that is custodian of the site, said.

“Minister Ben-Gvir, instead of maintaining the status quo at the mosque is supervising the Judaisation operation and trying to change the situation inside Al-Aqsa Mosque,” the official said.

Israeli police also “imposed restrictions” on Muslim worshippers trying to enter the mosque, he added.

Minister of Negev and Galilee Affairs Yitzhak Wasserlauf and other members of the Israeli Knesset reportedly joined the march.