Israel settlers led by Yehuda Glick storm Al-Aqsa Mosque compound

Escorted by extremist Israeli Jewish Rabbi Yehuda Glick, dozens of settlers forced their way into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem on 30 May, 2023 [@Al-Qastal/Twitter]

Escorted by extremist Israeli Jewish Rabbi Yehuda Glick, dozens of settlers forced their way into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem this morning, reported Wafa news agency.

The Israeli settlers entered the site through the mosque's Mughrabi Gate under armed Israeli protection and performed Talmudic rituals and prayers inside and at the gates of Al-Aqsa, in addition to carrying out provocative tours.

This comes after hundreds of Israeli settlers last week raided the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound to mark the Jewish holiday of Shavuot.

In a statement, the Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem said 252 Israeli settlers broke into Al-Aqsa Mosque's courtyard after Israeli groups called on settlers to intensify their raids on Thursday and Friday.

The department added that the Israeli police also restricted the entry of Palestinians since the dawn prayer.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third-holiest site in Islam and an area where non-Muslim prayers and rituals are forbidden by long-standing agreement.

However, since 2003, Israel has allowed settlers into the compound almost daily.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. It annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move never recognised by the international community.