Israel briefly closes Al-Aqsa Mosque gate under pretext of military drills

Israeli forces briefly closed the King Faisal Gate, one of the entrances to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem, on Tuesday during military drills, Palestinian officials said.

The Palestinian official news agency Wafa, citing local sources, said Israeli forces closed all entrances to the mosque compound while carrying out military exercises.

In a statement, the Jerusalem Governorate said Israeli forces closed the King Faisal Gate for about 30 minutes during the drills inside the mosque compound.

The governorate said Israeli forces also tightened restrictions at the compound’s other gates, disrupting the movement of worshippers entering and leaving the site during the closure.

The latest measure came amid escalating Israeli actions at the holy site.

According to a report released Sunday by the Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs, Israeli forces carried out 26 incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in June.

Palestinians say Israel is intensifying efforts to Judaize occupied East Jerusalem, including the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, and erase its Arab and Islamic identity.

The Palestinians regard occupied East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, in line with international resolutions that do not recognize Israel’s occupation of the city in 1967 or its subsequent annexation in 1980.

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