Over 1,000 Jewish settlers converge on Al-Aqsa complex
Approximately 1,500 Israeli settlers and police on Sunday forced their way into East Jerusalem’s flashpoint al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Yehuda Glick, a far-right Israeli Knesset (Parliament) member, who campaigns for Jewish access to al-Aqsa Mosque, was seen in the compound where many of the Israeli settlers performed Jewish religious rituals.
Palestinian boy arrested
Tensions rose between the Israeli settlers and Muslim tradesmen in the area. Additionally, Israeli soldiers arrested a Palestinian boy for raising the Palestinian flag inside the Noble Sanctuary.
Initial results of Israel’s Nation-State law
Hamas Political Bureau vice-president Salih al-Arui described the event as the initial result of Israel’s Nation-State law, adding that a new era of attacks targeting Jerusalem had begun.
On Thursday, Knesset passed a controversial law that recognizes Israel as the “nation-state of the Jewish people.”
Hamas slams the storming of Aqsa Mosque compound
“Storming and desecrating al-Aqsa Mosque by large groups of Zionists comes within the framework of the systematic religious war waged by the extremist Israeli government backed by the U.S. administration against the Palestinian people and their holy sites, as it also aims at targeting the Palestinians’ existence and their national and Islamic identity,” said Hamas spokesperson Fawzi Barhoum in a press release released on their website on Sunday.
“Hamas strongly condemns such policies and practices and urges the Islamic and Arab nations to take quick action at all levels to stand up for Al-Aqsa Mosque and protect the Muslim holy site from being desecrated and Judaized. There remains no justifications for remaining silent on this dangerous issue,” the statement added.
Number of raids increases
The number of Israeli settlers who raided al-Aqsa Mosque compound has increased compared to the previous year. The Israeli "Yara" association, which supports raids of the holy site, recently published a report claiming that the number of Israeli settlers who raided the compound last year was 22,200, while in the first six months that figure reached 22,206.
Druze lawmakers challenge Nation-State law
Israeli Druze members of the Knesset announced that they will lodge an appeal against a recent law recognizing Israel as the “nation-state of the Jewish people.”
Three Druze lawmakers on Sunday joined a number of Druze groups in filing the first High Court of Justice petition against the Nation-State law. Akram Hasoon (Kulanu), Saleh Saad (Zionist Union) and Hamad Amar (Yisrael Beiteinu) led the petitioners challenging the divisive law.
“I have no problem with the Jews and the fact that Israel is the state of the Jews. What about the Druze, who sacrificed and fought for Israel's sake, 240 of whom were killed and more than 1,200 injured during their service in the army?” MK Akram Hasson from Kulanu Party told Maariv daily on Sunday.
The Druze lawmakers argue that the Nation-State law violates basic rights such as the right to equality, and deems that non-Jewish minorities have no status in Israel.
A Palestinian minor was martyred on Monday during clashes with Israeli forces in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, according to a local medical source.The 13-year-old minor was shot in the chest in the Dheisheh refugee camp in the southern West Bank and died of his wounds, the source said on condition of anonymity.The Palestinian Health Ministry has yet to identify the victim.There was no comment from the Israeli army about the report.Two Palestinians injured by Israeli airstrike in GazaThe clashes broke out after Israeli forces raided the refugee camp to arrest Palestinians wanted by Israeli forces, according to local residents.The Israeli army frequently conducts wide-ranging arrest campaigns in the occupied West Bank on the pretext of searching for "wanted" Palestinians. Since March, more than 140 Palestinians have been martyred – and thousands more injured – in Palestinian protests in the Gaza Strip against the decades-long Israeli occupation and an 11-year blockade, which has gutted the Gaza economy and deprived its roughly 2 million inhabitants of many basic commodities.Mufti slams Jewish settlers' storming Al-Aqsa compound
Palestinian minor martyred by Israeli fire in West Bank
Palestinian Foreign Ministry calls on OIC
Following the mass raid, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the incident. In a statement released later on Sunday, the ministry expressed that the escalation was part of an Israeli plot to Judaize Jerusalem, establish the division of al-Aqsa Mosque, and attract more settlers to participate in the raids regularly with the aim of changing the legal and historical status quo in the holy site. The statement called on the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to act immediately.
Israel’s Nation-State law
The legislation further states that a “united Jerusalem” is the capital of Israel and that Hebrew is the country's official language, stripping Arabic of its earlier designation as an official language while recognizing its “special status.”
It was approved by a vote of 62-55 in a tumultuous assembly session in which Arab lawmakers decried what they called “Israeli racism against the Arab minority.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for his part, has hailed the legislation, describing its passage as a “defining moment for Zionism and Israel.”
Turkey has denounced the legislation for trying to strip Palestinians of their rights.
Israeli launches large-scale attack on Gaza
Using tanks, warplanes, and artillery fire, on Friday the Israeli army launched a major attack on the Gaza Strip. The attack came a day after the Nation-State law was approved. A written Israeli army statement said the army launched a large-scale assault targeting military points allegedly belonging to Hamas.
A Palestinian on Monday succumbed to wounds he sustained from Israeli fire during anti-occupation protests in the Gaza Strip, according to the Health Ministry.Karam Ibrahim Arafat from the eastern city of Khan Younis was shot and injured during a protest near Gaza Strip’s eastern border three weeks ago, ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qidra said in a statement.“He was martyred of his wounds today,” he said.Israel reportedly strikes military site in SyriaEarlier Monday, a Palestinian minor was martyred during clashes with Israeli forces in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.Since March, more than 140 Palestinians have been martyred -- and thousands more injured -- by Israeli army gunfire during protests in the Gaza Strip. Protesters demand the “right of return” to their homes and villages in historical Palestine, from which they were driven in 1948 to make way for the new state of Israel. They also demand an end to Israel’s 11-year blockade of the Gaza Strip, which has gutted the coastal enclave’s economy and deprived its roughly 2 million inhabitants of many basic commodities.Palestinian minor martyred by Israeli fire in West Bank
Palestinian dies of wounds from Israeli fire in Gaza
At least two Palestinians on Sunday were injured in the northern Gaza Strip during a airstrike launched by Israeli military forces according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.Two Palestinians were injured in an Israeli airstrike in the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said in statement.Meanwhile, In a statement on Twitter, Israeli military forces said arson balloons were launched from the northern Gaza Strip into Israeli territory. Israeli aircraft fired in response.Mufti slams Jewish settlers' storming Al-Aqsa compoundFor almost four months, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have been holding almost daily demonstrations near the Gaza-Israel buffer zone.Since the demonstrations began on March 30, more than 140 Palestinian protesters have been martyred -- and thousands more injured -- by Israeli army gunfire. Protesters demand the “right of return” to their homes and villages in historical Palestine, from which they were driven in 1948 to make way for the new state of Israel. They also demand an end to Israel’s 11-year blockade of the Gaza Strip, which has gutted the coastal enclave’s economy and deprived its roughly 2 million inhabitants of many basic commodities.Video: Jewish fanatics try to run over Palestinian woman
Two Palestinians injured by Israeli airstrike in Gaza
Grand Mufti of Jerusalem on Sunday warned of "religious war" after hundreds of Jewish settlers stormed East Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque.According to the official Wafa news agency, Sheikh Mohamed Hussein said in a statement that the storming by the Israeli settlers would not change Arab-Islam pattern of Jerusalem."But perseveration of such attempts will drag the region into a religious war," he said.Earlier, more than 1,000 Israeli settlers forced their way into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound under heavy protection of Israeli police.Hussein said Palestinians were prudent in the face of such attempts that intend to spark fresh incidents. "But our people are defending Al-Aqsa and will continue to defend [it]."Firas al-Dibis, an official with Jerusalem’s Jordan-run Religious Endowments Authority, said Israeli police stormed the compound before the settlers and carried out protective sweeps and search.The move came days after Knesset (Israel’s parliament) passed a controversial law that recognizes Israel as the “nation-state of the Jewish people”.For Muslims, the Al-Aqsa represents the world's third holiest site. Jews, for their part, refer to the area as the “Temple Mount”, claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.Israel occupied East Jerusalem during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. It annexed the entire city in 1980, claiming it as the capital of the Jewish state -- a move never recognized by the international community.Jordan protests Israeli ‘violations’ at Al-AqsaOver 1,000 Jewish settlers converge on Al-Aqsa complex
Mufti slams Jewish settlers storming al-Aqsa compound
More than 1,000 Israeli settlers on Sunday forced their way into East Jerusalem’s flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, according to a Palestinian official.Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Firas al-Dibis, an official with Jerusalem’s Jordan-run Religious Endowments Authority, said Israeli police stormed the compound before the settlers and carried out protective sweeps and search.According to al-Dibis, Israeli forces denied access to Najeh Bakirat, a scholar at the Endowments Authority, and allowed Muslim worshippers inside the mosque after seizing their IDs.On Thursday, Knesset (Israel’s parliament) passed a controversial law that recognizes Israel as the “nation-state of the Jewish people”.For Muslims, the Al-Aqsa represents the world's third holiest site. Jews, for their part, refer to the area as the “Temple Mount”, claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.Israel occupied East Jerusalem during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. It annexed the entire city in 1980, claiming it as the capital of the Jewish state -- a move never recognized by the international community.
Over 1,000 Jewish settlers converge on Al-Aqsa complex