Hundreds of Israeli settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque compound
Settlers in Al-Aqsa Mosque compound October 2018
The International Middle East Media Centre reports:
According to local sources, hundreds of Jewish Israeli settlers, accompanied by soldiers, forced their way into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Monday [21 October], pushing aside the Muslim worshipers and the Muslim clerics who oversee the Mosque.
The Israelis then gathered to pray for the destruction of the mosque. A large sect of right-wing Jewish Israelis have pushed for the destruction of the mosque, which is the third-holiest site in the Islamic religion.
They call for the mosque to be destroyed, and a Jewish temple to be erected in its place. Many of these groups sell t-shirts and other paraphernalia showing the mosque destroyed with a temple constructed on the ruins. Some of the vendors selling these items establish themselves directly outside the gates of the mosque, to try to provoke Muslim worshipers as they enter to pray.
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum issued the warning in a press release on Monday, calling the recent invasions of the al-Aqsa Mosque compound ‘provocations’ meant to insult and denigrate Palestinians who pray at the mosque each week.