The chairman of the Higher Islamic Authority and preacher for Jerusalem, Ekrema Sabri, told PNN that Israeli settlers and Rabbis, accompanied by the Israeli police, continue raiding Al-Aqsa mosque under the pretext of celebrating the Jewish holidays for three days.
He mentioned that the settlers raid that mosque in groups headed by Rabbis or Israeli political leaders. The Israeli police has been preventing Palestinian women from entering the mosque for three days. He confirmed that he will not give up and rejected the entire Israeli plan of temporarily dividing Al-Aqsa mosque.
Mahmoud abu al-Atta, a media official at  Al-Aqsa Foundation for Waqf and Heritage,  said that some of the settlers tried to reach the dome of the rock, a sacred place for Muslims, but Palestinian worshippers confronted them and forced them to leave the mosque.
According to Al Ray, Abu al-Atta reported that Israeli forces arrested three people  who were trying to protect the mosque. They were named as Younis Tork, 52, Nasim Abu Nada, 32, and Ibrahim Syiam, 65.
This is not the first instance settlers have attempted to enter the Al-Aqsa complex which lead to tense and occasionally violent confrontations.