Dozens of Jewish settlers on Monday morning desecrated the Aqsa Mosque under tight police guard.

According to local sources, over 140 settlers entered the Mosque through al-Maghariba Gate and toured its courtyard.

The sources said that some settlers tried to bring a Jewish candelabrum (menorah) into the Islamic holy site in order to mark a religious occassion, and others behaved provocatively through performing Talmudic prayers loudly between the trees that are located between the King Faisal Gate and the Bani Ghanim Gate.

The Aqsa Mosque is exposed to daily desecration by Jewish settlers and police forces in the morning and the afternoon except on Fridays and Saturdays.
 
The Israeli police close al-Maghariba Gate, which is used by Jews to enter the Mosque, at 10:30 am after the settlers complete their morning tours at the holy site. Later in the afternoon, the same gate is reopened for evening tours by settlers.

During the presence of settlers inside the Mosque compound, entry restrictions are imposed on Muslim worshipers at the entrances leading to the Mosque and their IDs are seized until they leave the holy place.

 

Source: The Palestinian Information Center