Israeli forces clashed with Palestinian worshippers at the Bab as-Silsila entrance to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem on Sunday, escalating tensions in the region, as confirmed by local sources.
The Israeli forces had imposed stringent security measures, leading to the removal of Palestinian worshippers from the Al-Aqsa Mosque area. Their presence was intensified around the compound, effectively denying access to any Palestinian worshippers below the age of 50. This move aimed to facilitate the entry of Israeli settlers marking Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.
In observance of Rosh Hashanah, hundreds of ultranationalist Israelis reportedly entered the Al-Aqsa courtyard through the Morocco Gate, escorted by Israeli troops, as reported by Al-Mayadeen news outlet.
The Jerusalem Islamic Endowments Department verified that the military had been working to clear the compound in anticipation of the settler incursion. Israeli settler groups had been advocating for unrestricted access to the site, which is known to Jews as the Temple Mount, for their Rosh Hashanah celebrations.
In response to these developments, several Muslim worshippers had gathered at the holy site after morning prayers to protest against the harassment and intrusions by Israeli settlers.
The situation escalated when Israeli forces allegedly physically assaulted and beat up three worshippers, including an elderly man and woman, near the Bab as-Silsila entrance. The Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that these individuals had objected to an Israeli settler blowing a horn at the entrance to the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Two men were arrested within the compound and subsequently taken to an undisclosed location, as reported by Al-Maydeen.
Video footage depicting settlers touring the Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyard began circulating on social media, intensifying concerns over the situation’s volatility.
The clash at Bab as-Silsila entrance underscores the ongoing tensions in the region and the persistent disputes over access and control of religious sites in Jerusalem, a city of immense significance to multiple faiths.
