Local Editor

Over 60 "Israeli" settlers on Wednesday forced their way into the al-Aqsa Holy Mosque compound in occupied East al-Quds under the protection of "Israeli" police after the latter forcibly removed Muslim worshipers from the holy site, injuring dozens, a Palestinian official said.

Security guards at the mosque revealed that the "Israeli" forces stormed the compound at 7:30 am ahead of expected visits by right-wing "Israelis" on the occasion of the so-called "Israeli" holiday of Sukkot.

"Israeli" forces forcibly removed worshipers, attacking some of them with clubs, the guards said.
Some worshipers clashed with "Israeli" officers in the compound before managing to take refuge inside the mosque.

As worshipers threw stones, soldiers fired tear gas, stun grenades, and rubber bullets, injuring dozens of Palestinians, al-Aqsa Mosque director Sheikh Omar al-Kiswani said.

Some of the stun grenades were fired into the al-Aqsa Mosque itself, causing a fire to break out, and firefighters were not immediately allowed access to the area, al-Kiswani added.

"The compound is almost empty of Muslim worshipers, while "Israeli" forces allowed herds of extremists to storm it and move freely," he said.

"More settlers are expected to storm the complex after the "Israeli" police forcibly evacuated Muslim worshippers from the complex," Sheikh Azzam al-Khatib, director-general of the Organization for Muslim Endowments and al-Aqsa Affairs said.

Al-Khatib described the move as "an acceptable escalation."

An eyewitness said that the settlers are taking a tour of the compound's courtyards under protection from the "Israeli" police after they entered the site through al-Magharbeh Gate.

Witnesses said that eventually "Israeli" forces succeeded in forcefully removing Palestinians from the compound, besides those who had taken refuge in the mosque itself.
Instead, they closed the doors of the mosque and locked them with chains, trapping worshipers inside, the witnesses said.

"Israeli" police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld tweeted about the incident, saying "masked Arabs" threw "stones/blocks/iron bars" at "Israeli" forces near the Moroccan gate.

Since Tuesday morning, "Israeli" forces have restricted access to the al-Aqsa Mosque, only allowing Palestinian worshipers aged 60 and up to enter. 

"This "Israeli" step is rejected and unacceptable as al-Quds' and its holy sites are a red line," the PA in a statement cited by the official Wafa news agency on Monday.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team