Twenty-seven settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem on Sunday, under the protection of Israeli police.
Their move came despite strict measures taken by Israel in the vicinity of the mosque, including preventing any gatherings inside. The settlers wandered in the compound all the way to the door of Mercy before exiting from the Mugrabi Gate.
While settlers were allowed to enter Al-Aqsa, Israeli police arrested Palestinians and fined others for visiting the Mosque.
The Israeli occupation police stormed, late Saturday, the house of the head of the Endowments Council in Jerusalem, Sheikh Abdel-Azim Salhab, and fined him with 5,000 shekels, under the pretext of “not preventing worshipers from performing Friday prayers.”
The Palestinian official news agency (Wafa) quoted Sheikh Salhab as saying that the Israeli police “stormed my house and handed me a notice stating that I did not close Al-Aqsa Mosque in the face of the worshipers and that I must pay a fine of 5,000 shekels.”
“The aim of these violations and procedures is to close Al-Aqsa Mosque to worshipers… We have instructions from the Mosque on how to pray and how to exit” the courtyards, he added.
He explained that the Israeli government adopted a “double standard”, as “it allows settlers to storm Al-Aqsa Mosque daily, while preventing worshipers from entering… under the pretext of the spread of the coronavirus.”
“We refuse to close Al-Aqsa Mosque and it will remain open for worshipers to pray in the best way that keeps them healthy and safe,” Sheikh Salhab underlined.
All prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque compound will be suspended from Monday until further notice in an effort to prevent the spread of coronavirus, religious officials said on Sunday.
The new edict suspends the outdoor prayers as well. Those sessions usually draw large crowds, though the numbers have dwindled in recent weeks.
