Israeli Police remove radical Muslims barricaded inside Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem
Israeli police entered the al-Qibli chapel of Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City to remove radical Muslims who had barricaded themselves inside the mosque.
The move came after Israeli authorities received intelligence those barricaded were preparing to riot against Jewish visitors to the Temple Mount on Sunday morning. In a video taken inside the mosque, Muslim worshippers chanted, “Allahu Akbar” (“Allah is great” in Arabic) and shouted at police officers who removed the suspects from the building.
Israel recently announced it would ease security restrictions for Muslim worshippers visiting Al Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan.
“The entry of women will be allowed of all ages and the entry of children up to the age of 12 will be allowed without the need for an existing permit. Entry for men aged 55 and over without an existing permit and for men aged 45 and over will be subject to an existing permit. All permits are conditional on receiving a security clearance,” said the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), an Israeli state organization responsible for affairs in the West Bank.
Israeli authorities fear that radicalized individuals from the disputed territories would instigate violence around the Al Aqsa Mosque flashpoint. COGAT said, because of this, permits to visit Jerusalem would be issued to Palestinian Muslims on a case-by-case basis.
“We emphasize that all permits will be issued subject to security approval,” COGAT stated.
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
