Turkish woman detained in Israel released after efforts of Turkish diplomatic missions

By Burak Dag

ANKARA (AA) - A Turkish woman, 24, who was detained earlier Tuesday from inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in East Jerusalem has been released after the efforts of Turkish missions in Israel, said Turkish diplomatic sources.

The woman has been released by the efforts of the Turkish Embassy in Tel Aviv and the Consulate General in Jerusalem, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.

Earlier in the day, Israeli police detained Ozgecan Mutlu from inside the Al-Aqsa complex in occupied East Jerusalem.

Mutlu was reciting from the Quran, Islam’s holy book, when an Israeli policeman seized her bag to move her away from Bab al-Rahma Gate, east of the mosque, according to an Anadolu reporter.

Tension has been running high across East Jerusalem since earlier this month when Israeli police forcibly removed Muslim worshippers from inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

For Muslims, Al-Aqsa represents the world’s third-holiest site. Jews call the area the Temple Mount, saying it was the site of two ancient Jewish temples.

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.