Almost 5000 settlers stormed into Al-Aqsa mosque compound since the beginning of the year

4,840 Jewish settlers stormed into the Aqsa Mosque’s courtyards during the first four months of 2016.  This number is considered the highest compared to the same period in the previous years, according to Qpress news website.

According to a statistical report released on Sunday by Qpress, 1,908 settlers, including Israeli occupation forces (IOF) military and Israeli security officers, entered the compound under police protection last April.

This number in April was also the highest compared to the last two years, when they were 1,398 settlers in April 2015 and 1,202 in April 2014.

According to the statistical report, over 67 Israeli  security members stormed the compound within inspection rounds and for securing the settlers’ invasions into and performing Talmudic rituals at the Muslims’ sacred place.
Israeli policemen and IOF Special Forces systematically attacked the Aqsa Mosque’s guards and the Awqaf staff.
They deported three of them away from the Mosque for 15 days because of confronting settlers.
Israeli courts presented 10 indictments against worshipers and sit-inners at the holy site, the report stated.
The report also documented an Israeli violation where the Temple Institute announced holding a secret wedding contract at al-Rahmah gate at the Aqsa Mosque regardless of the guards’ tightened measures.
The current tension situation in Jerusalem and in the occupied West Bank is ongoing since October first 2015, due to these repetitive Israeli settler attacks on Al-Aqsa mosque, and Israeli restrictions over Palestinian entrance into the site.
Last week, the Jordanina government issued an official statement where it called for Israel to deny visits by settlers, remove Israeli soldiers amid ramped up security and, especially last week,  uptick in Jewish visits for Passover holiday at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

The Jordanian government warned Israel against violating the status quo on the compound after several hundred settlers and tourists visited the contested holy site on the first intermediate day of the Jewish Passover holiday.

Jordan acts as custodian of the flashpoint religious site, which is a holy site in Judaism and third holiest to Muslims.

The third holiest site in Islam, the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, it is also venerated as Judaism’s most holy place, as it sits where Jews believe the First and Second Temples once stood.

Source: PNN