Israeli ministers and MPs led mass incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque on Thursday, as one lawmaker declared it was time to demolish the site and build a Jewish temple in its place.
The raids came as Israeli forces violently blocked Palestinian worshippers from accessing the Jerusalem holy site while facilitating large-scale settler raids ahead of the annual “Flag March” through the Old City.
The Old City, in occupied East Jerusalem, was placed under near-total lockdown to accommodate the marches and incursions, with Palestinian-owned shops forced to shut and residents ordered indoors.
“Security barriers and restrictions are tighter than ever before,” an employee of the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf, which administers Al-Aqsa Mosque, told Middle East Eye on condition of anonymity.
Since dawn prayers, Israeli authorities have imposed strict measures at the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque, one of Islam’s holiest sites.
