‘Israel’ bans settlers’ intrusions into Al-Aqsa until the end of Ramadan
Occupied Jerusalem (QNN)- Colonial Israeli settlers and non-Muslim tourists will be banned from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem until the end of Ramadan, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Tuesday in a statement.
Netanyahu, along with War Minister Yoav Gallant and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, decided to “prohibit the entry of Jewish visitors and tourists to the Temple Mount until the end of Ramadan,” the statement from Netanyahu said.
This decision has been made by the Israeli occupation government in previous years, but this year it came just days after hundreds of colonial Israeli settlers broke into Al-Aqsa Mosque while being backed by well-armed Israeli forces while Palestinians were blocked from entering the holy site.
Moreover, the decision comes following Israeli forces’ brutal assaults on the mosque and worshipers who were observing the holy month of Ramadan and gathering for night prayers. The forces, for at least three consecutive nights, stormed the holy site, forcibly expelled the worshipers from the mosque, and assaulted and arrested dozens of them. Israeli occupation also denied access to worshipers under the age of 40.
Ben-Gvir, however, denounced the decision, saying “When terrorism strikes us we must strike back with great force, not surrender to its whims.”
The step comes during the last ten nights of Ramadan, which includes Laylat al-Qadr, Arabic for the "night of power", which falls within this period.
The last ten days of the month hold particular importance for Muslims, who try to increase and intensify their acts of worship during this period. Ramadan is due to end on Friday 21 April.
