Far-right Jewish nationalists stormed Masjid Al-Aqsa with characteristic “Israeli” chats such as “Death to Arabs”.
Knesset ultranationalist opposition party, Itamar Ben-Gvir, entered the Aqsa compound early this morning according to reports.
Al Jazeera’s Najwan Simri reported that Israeli militants occupied the rooftop of the al-Qibli prayer hall in the compound this morning and laid siege to worshippers inside it to enable the passage of colonial settlers.
She added that the Israeli fighters prevented Palestinian journalists and photographers from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque and threatened them with arrest, firing rubber bullets at Palestinians protesters in the compound.
The militia calling itself “Israeli police” stated that they “arrested” least 18 Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City.
Zionist colonial settlers attacked an ambulance crew in the Old City while they were trying to reach an injured person in al-Wad neighbourhood, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society.
Israeli law and the Chief Rabbinate of Israel forbid Jewish worship in the Al-Aqsa compound,[1][2] however some far-right Zionists regularly attempt to do so in order to provoke a reaction and change the status quo, recognised by the international community.
Read: The ‘Temple Mount’ Deceit
Israel considers itself above the law, said Palestinian Authority spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh. In an interview with the Voice of Palestine radio he stated:
“Israel is playing with fire by irresponsibly and recklessly allowing settlers to desecrate sanctities in occupied Jerusalem.”
He called on the international community, especially the US, to “shoulder its responsibilities and to not engage in double standards”.
Approximately 3,000 Israeli militia have been deployed throughout the city ahead of a Zionist march expected to take place between 1pm and 7pm GMT.
Translation: Watch: The occupation army brutally assaults Palestinian women on al-Wad Street in occupied Jerusalem.
The march is to celebrate the Zionists’ “capture” of occupied East Jerusalem in the 1967 war, after which the illegal state of “Israel” annexed the area, condemned by the international community.
Marches include Zionist chants such as “Death to Arabs” and “may your village burn”, whilst attacking Palestinian homes and shops in the Old City.
Sami Abu Shehadeh, a Palestinian member of Knesset, told Al Jazeera that the march represents a very fast deterioration of the majority of the Jewish population of Israel into fascism.[3]
“We are talking about a society that is celebrating the occupation of another people. We are not talking about small marginal groups, but extreme groups that are supported by the Israeli government and defended by the Israeli police and security forces, which means that the Israeli government sees this as a legitimate act.”
“Increased tensions”
Today’s march takes place amidst increased tensions, with Israeli police repeatedly storming the compound whilst firing rubber bullets, tear gas and stun grenades at Palestinian demonstrators, injuring hundreds, the latest casualty being a 15-year-old boy killed in Bethlehem on Friday.[4]
On May 11th Zionist snipers assassinated Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, making her the making her the 12th Al Jazeera journalist to be killed in the line of duty since their launch in 1996.[5] The funeral procession was also attacked by so-called “Israeli police” provoking a fresh wave of international condemnation.[6]
The Zionist entity’s ruler Naftali Bennett stated on Friday:
“The flag parade will be held as usual according to the planned route, as it has been for decades.”
Gaza’s governing party Hamas issued a statement on Saturday calling for Palestinians all over occupied Palestine “to rise up on Sunday to defend Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa mosque”.
The left-wing Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) group denounced the “brutal aggression” of the Israeli occupation, saying
“We affirm our readiness to defend the holy sites and the Palestinian people by all means and methods,” the group said in a statement, and warned that “desecrating Al-Aqsa compound is a dangerous transgression that the enemy will pay for”.[7]
The provocations of last May’s march lead to more than 260 Palestinians being killed in an 11-day-war.[8]
Source: Islam21c
Notes:
[1] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/26/israeli-court-upholds-non-muslim-prayer-ban-at-al-aqsa-mosque
[2] https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2015/10/6/israels-right-defies-rabbinate-over-al-aqsa
[3] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/29/settlers-storm-al-aqsa-compound-ahead-of-israeli-flag-march
[4] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/27/israeli-forces-injure-scores-of-palestinian-protesters-medics
[5] https://www.islam21c.com/news/world-condemns-israeli-occupation-for-assassinating-al-jazeera-journalist-shireen-abu-akleh-in-cold-blood/
[6] https://www.islam21c.com/news/israeli-fighters-attack-funeral-of-slain-journalist-shireen-abu-akleh/
[7] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/29/settlers-storm-al-aqsa-compound-ahead-of-israeli-flag-march
[8] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/10/year-on-war-gaza-frustrated-slow-reconstruction
