Jewish Settlers Force Way İnto Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Complex

Scores of Jewish settlers, backed by Israeli security personnel, forced their way into occupied East Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Tuesday, according to a Palestinian official.



"At least 60 Jewish settlers backed by Israeli police forced their way into the holy compound via the Al-Mugharbeh Gate," mosque director Sheikh Omar al-Qiswani told Anadolu Agency.



"The settlers toured the complex – passing by the Al-Qibali, Al-Marawani and Dome of the Rock mosques – and performed Talmudic rituals before leaving via the Al-Rahmeh gate," he said.



Al-Qiswani added that Israeli troops had detained two Palestinian women inside the mosque complex and took them to a detention center in Jerusalem's Old City.



For Muslims, Al-Aqsa represents the world's third holiest site. Jews, for their part, refer to the area as the "Temple Mount," claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.



Israel occupied East Jerusalem during the 1967 war. It later annexed the holy city in 1980, claiming it as the capital of the self-proclaimed Jewish state – a move never recognized by the international community.



In September 2000, a visit to the site by controversial Israeli leader Ariel Sharon sparked what later became known as the "Second Intifada," a popular uprising against the Israeli occupation in which thousands of Palestinians were killed. - İsrail