Tensions rise in Jerusalem as extremist settlers enter Al-Aqsa compound
Israeli police searched worshipers as others were prevented from entering the mosque
The second day of the Jewish holiday of Purim saw a surge in tension as dozens of extremist settlers stormed the courtyards of the AlAqsa Mosque compound in the occupied city of Jerusalem, according to a Petra news agency on Monday.
The settlers were protected by the Israeli police, said Jerusalem’s Islamic Endowments Department in a statement. The settlers began entering the compound early on Monday morning from the Mughrabi Gate and moved into the eastern and northern courtyards.
There were many more settlers on Monday and additional Israeli police were deployed in the area, further heightening tensions, Petra reported witnesses as saying.
The police evacuated the square opposite the Al-Qibli prayer hall and the Dome of the Rock. Worshipers entering the mosque for the dawn prayer were subjected to searches, and many were prevented from accessing the holy site.
The escalation in tension comes amid longstanding disputes over access to religious sites in Jerusalem, particularly Al-Aqsa Mosque.
The Palestinian Authority and several international organizations have condemned the settlers’ actions at Al-Aqsa Mosque, saying that such behavior could result in violence and hamper peace efforts.
Separately, thousands of
Christian devotees attended Palm Sunday celebrations at Jerusalem’s sacred Mount of Olives, marking the first day of Holy Week as conflict surges across the region.
“Although there is war, in my impression I don’t feel any kind of tension,” said David Manini, a devotee from Italy.
The celebration marks the beginning of the most somber week in the Christian calendar. “I’m here because I love Jesus Christ,” said Jennifer Weedon, who traveled form the US for the occasion.
Since the war erupted, Israel has seen a huge downturn in tourism. In late October, Palestinian
health officials said that an Israeli strike hit St. Porphyrios, a Greek Orthodox church in Gaza where displaced Palestinians were sheltering, killing 18 people.