GAZA (Dispatches) – The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has called on all Palestinians to hold “days of anger” protests if Zionist settlers continue their acts of aggression against the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque during their Jewish holidays.
In a statement on Sunday, Hamas spokesman Mohammed Hamadeh urged all Palestinian masses in the occupied al-Quds City and those in those territories occupied by the Tel Aviv regime in 1948 to intensify their presence at Al-Aqsa Mosque.
He noted that the measure is intended to demonstrate to the occupying regime that their holy site is not alone and has devoted people protecting it, the Palestinian Information Center reported.
The Hamas official stressed that the daily settler break-ins at the Al-Aqsa Mosque are orchestrated and protected by the security and military institutions of the Zionist regime.
He also stressed that the Palestinian resistance would not be tolerant toward any flagrant aggression against Al-Quds and the Al-Aqsa Mosque and would remain prepared to safeguard the sanctity of the holy site and defend its people in the occupied city.
The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound sits just above the Western Wall plaza and houses both the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
On Sunday, scores of Zionist settlers forced their way into the flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Al-Quds, according to a Palestinian agency.
In a statement, the Jordan-run Islamic Waqf Department, which oversees the holy sites in Al-Quds, said 144 settlers entered the complex under police protection, passing through from the Al-Maqaribe (Moroccans) Gate southwest of the mosque.
The group left the sacred site after wandering in the courtyard of Haram al-Sharif.
According to the treaty signed between the occupying regime and Jordan on October 26, 1994, Al-Aqsa mosque is under the auspices of the Al-Quds Islamic Waqf Administration, which is affiliated with the Jordanian Ministry of Foundations, Islamic Affairs, and Holiness.
However, since 2003, without the permission of the administration, Zionist settlers have been entering the holy shrine with the unilateral decision of the Zionist regime, accompanied by police.
Describing these entries as “raiding”, the Al-Quds Islamic Waqf says that the sovereignty of Muslims is violated.
On May 23, over 250 fanatical Zionists entered Al-Aqsa Mosque for the first time in about three weeks. Such raids by Zionist on Haram al-Sharif escalate tension in the region.
Meanwhile, Zionist troops on Sunday rounded up 11 Palestinians, including five minors, in overnight raids across the occupied West Bank, according to local residents.
A Zionist trooper raided the town of Sa’ir south of Al-Khalil city and arrested five minors, Palestinian journalist Sari Jaradat told Anadolu Agency.
He said the detained children were aged 14 and 15 years old.
No reason was given for the arrests.
Two young Palestinians were also detained in the town, Jaradat said.
Zionist troops also arrested two more Palestinians in the city of Bethlehem, Palestinian security sources told the official news agency Wafa.