Israeli forces evacuate worshippers at Jerusalem mosque

Israeli forces made people in occupied Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque evacuate on June 13th, and later shut its gates, Middle East Eye via Wafa news agency reported.

Following the dawn prayer, Israeli forces entered the mosque. According to local sources who spoke to Wafa, the incident is the first time Israeli forces shut down the mosque since the coronavirus pandemic.

Al-Aqsa Mosque was closed as Israel declares a lockdown in the occupied West Bank. Local sources also said that many military checkpoints and gates within the West Bank had been shut by Israeli officers, according to Wafa on June 13th.

The Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs firmly denounced the Israeli occupation’s dawn closure of Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. It also condemned blocking worshippers from entering the Ibrahimi mosque in Hebron. The move targeted two of the most revered Islamic sites in Palestine.

The Ministry declared in a statement, it firmly rejects and condemns this disgraceful act. It vowed to protect Islamic holy sites. The Ministry also urged international organisations to take immediate action to end Israeli violations of Palestinian religious sites.

Previously, Middle East Eye via WAFA reported on May 6th that Israeli settlers repeatedly invaded Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem and were guarded by police.  Maghrebi reported that Israeli settler groups later entered the Al-Aqsa mosque grounds. The Al-Aqsa mosque remains the third holiest place for Muslims worldwide.

The group included the far-right rabbi Shimshon Alboim. He has urged for the mosque to be demolished and for an Israeli temple to be built in its place.

Middle East Eye, Wafa, Maghrebi.org