Israeli Settlers, Intelligence Officers Break into al-Aqsa

Rasa - A sum of 62 Israeli settlers and 3 intelligence officers, backed by a police escort, forced their way into al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied Jerusalem on Sunday.

News ID: 435006

Date: 27 November 2017 - 23:18

RNA - There were no reports of clashes with Muslim worshipers at the holy site, as is the case when Jewish settlers break into al-Aqsa, WAFA reported.

Ahmed Queri, head of the Jerusalem Affairs Department at the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), warned about the serious consequences of the repeated provocative visits to al-Aqsa Mosque by Jewish settlers.

“Raids by Israeli settlers on al-Aqsa Mosque and under the protection of the Israeli government, which provides all the necessary facilities for those settlers, … is a provocation of Muslim worshipers,” he told the press.

He said these actions, which are contrary to international law and norms that protect holy sites, require a serious and firm position by the international community, the UN Security Council and international human rights organizations to stop these Israeli violations.

He condemned a recently announced Israeli tender to build 92 housing units and car parking spaces in the illegal settlement of Pesgat Ze’ef in occupied Jerusalem.

He further rejected a decision by the supreme Israeli court which gives orders to the Israeli government to allocate an agreed upon piece of land to the Palestinian citizens of Silwan neighborhood in East Jerusalem, in return for Israel’s closure of some public spaces in the neighborhood for the benefit of archeological excavations by Israel in the area.

Qurei said such measures will lead to nothing but extremism, violence and instability in the region.

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