Israeli Settlers Break Into Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound, Again Violating Agreement On Jerusalem’s Holy Sites

Riyaz Patel

Hundreds of Israeli settlers broke into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in annexed East Jerusalem Tuesday – guarded by Israeli military police and escorted by an Israeli MP and a minister – to mark the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, local media reported.

Around 300 settlers entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, Islam’s third holiest site, a week after around 400 settlers entered the site to mark the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah.

Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel and Yehuda Glick, an MP from the right-wing Likud party, were among those who entered the compound on Tuesday as well as last week.

Both Ariel and Glick have been prominent figures advocating for settlers to be able to enter and pray in the Al-Aqsa compound, through the Moroccan Gate that leads to the Western Wall plaza.

On Monday evening, thousands of Israeli performed prayers at the Western Wall, the holiest site in Judaism, to mark the Day of Atonement.

Israeli security forces set