Updated: On Monday, more than 1500 illegal Israeli colonizers , accompanied by Israeli occupation forces, government minister Ben-Gvir and other fanatic right-wing Knesset members, invaded the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque as part of a commemoration marking the occupation of eastern Jerusalem.
Update: Many colonizers, accompanied by a far-right member of the Israeli Knesset, invaded the UNRWA building in Sheikh Jarrah Palestinian neighborhood in occupied Jerusalem, Al-Jazeera said.
Several Knesset members also joined the incursion, including Jewish Power party member Yitzhak Kroizer, in a march marking the anniversary of the occupation of East Jerusalem.
Local sources reported that around 1,500 colonizers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque, performing rituals within its courtyards.
During the provocative tour, one colonizer raised the occupation flag and danced near the eastern section, while at the same time Israeli police deployed iron barricades around Bab al-Amoud and the Old City to tighten control over the area amid heightened military measures, to prevent the Palestinians from reaching the holy site.
Hundreds more gathered in Al-Buraq Square, west of the mosque, and near the Qattanin (Cotton Merchants) Gate.
The Israeli army closed and isolated several Palestinian areas, especially Wadi Hilweh in Silwan, south of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, in addition to Bab Al-Magharba (Moroccan Gate) and Bab Al-Asbat (Lions Gate), along with several other vital areas and intersections.
Meanwhile, extremist Knesset member Moshe Viglin is reportedly preparing to storm the mosque following his award of a medal to a retired occupation soldier involved in the historical occupation of Jerusalem.
Recent days have seen a marked increase in colonizer incursions and the harassment of worshipers, spurred by calls from extremist colonial groups for even more frequent and widespread provocations.
A provocative “Flag March” is set to commence from Al-Buraq Square, proceed past Bab al-Amoud, and traverse the Al-Wad neighborhood within the Old City, areas that are densely populated by Palestinians.
Israeli forces began deploying iron barricades around Bab al-Amoud, at the entrance to the Old City, as early as Sunday in anticipation of these events.
The frequency of extremist colonizer incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem has risen significantly since the onset of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023.
