For three days, dozens of fundamentalists from “Zion Christ” have stormed the courtyards of Al Aqsa Mosque under the heavy guard of Israeli police and special units. They went toward the Al Quds Funds and Waqf through the corridors. Another extremist group calling itself the “Temple Mount Trustees,” also attempted to break into the grounds of the Muslim holy site, but civilians near the gate were able to stop them.
The Mufti of Jerusalem, Sheikh Mohammad Hussein, and Bishop Atallah Hanna, denounced the Jewish fundamentalists and their Israeli police escorts. During a joint press conference it was confirmed that all of the lands and structures where “we have a group of settlers today under police guard” were part of the Muslim holy site.
Sheikh Hussein told reporters, “The police allow the extremists to enter Al Aqsa Mosque under the guise of tourism.” He appealed to the international and Arab communities to defend Jerusalem's Muslim and Christian holy places, as well as defend the people who are “subject to numerous harassments and provocations.”
The Mufti continued, “The measures of the occupation in the holy city inforce Judaization.” Standing beside the Islamic official was Bishop Atallah Hanna who said, “We in the holy city expect support of the sacred shrines which are violated every day.” He called on the international community to also support Palestinian Christians during Easter by pressuring Israeli forces to stop prohibiting them from praying in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
