Hundreds of Israelis storm Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa complex

By Abdelraouf Arnaout

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

In a brief statement, the Jordan-run Islamic Waqf Department, which oversees holy sites in Jerusalem, said 1032 settlers stormed the flashpoint site in groups under police protection.

The intrusions come as settlers celebrate the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, a week-long festival that began on Monday.

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 contributed to this report