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JERUSALEM — Some 1,390 illegal Israeli settlers entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem on Sunday to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, according to a Palestinian agency.
The Jordan-run Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem reported that the settlers accessed the contentious site through the Mughrabi Gate in the western wall of the mosque, escorted by Israeli police.
Witnesses indicated that far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir joined the settlers in performing Talmudic rituals at the site, despite restrictions on the entry of Muslim worshippers. However, Ben Gvir’s office stated that the minister did not enter the site but welcomed the Israeli settlers at the entrance of the complex.
Since 2003, Israel has permitted illegal settlers to enter the sensitive compound almost daily, with the exception of Fridays and Saturdays.
Al-Aqsa Mosque is considered the third-holiest site in Islam, while Jews refer to the area as the “Temple Mount,” claiming it was the location of two ancient Jewish temples.
Israel occupied East Jerusalem, including Al-Aqsa, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War and subsequently annexed the entire city in 1980, a move that has never been recognized by the international community. — Agencies
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