Hundreds of Israelis storm Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa complex

By Abdel Raouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) - Hundreds of Israeli settlers forced their way into the flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem on Monday, according to a Palestinian agency.

In a statement, the Jordan-run Islamic Waqf Department, which oversees the holy sites in Jerusalem, said 216 settlers entered the site in groups under Israeli police protection.

No clashes were reported between Israeli forces and Palestinian worshippers.
Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world's third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews call the area the "Temple Mount," claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.

Since 2003, Israel has allowed settlers into the compound almost daily.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. It annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move never recognized by the international community.

*Ikram Imane Kouachi in Ankara contributed to this report