JERUSALEM, August 28, 2016 (WAFA) – Israeli settlers and intelligence officers on Sunday morning forced their way into al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, according to local sources.

Witnesses told WAFA that a group of hard-line Israeli settlers accompanied by intelligence officers broke into the Islamic holy site. There were no reports of clashes between the entering settlers and worshipers.

The site has witnessed violent clashes in recent months between Palestinians and Israeli police, most frequently due to provocative visits by Jewish extremists who believe the mosque should be destroyed and replaced with a Jewish temple.

The site is the third holiest place for Muslims, and has since 1967 been the center of the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict. While it is widely known as Al-Aqsa Mosque, Jews refer to the site as the “Temple Mount” and believe it was the site of two Jewish temples destroyed in ancient times.

Palestinians worry that if Jewish visitors were allowed to pray in the holy al-Aqsa Mosque, it would eventually lead to a permanent change which will result in full Israeli control and ban on Muslims’ prayer.

Despite the fact that the site is the location of al-Aqsa Mosque and Dome of the Rock, two of the most holy destinations for Muslims, hundreds of Jewish extremists regularly attempt to legalize prayer at the compound, a move that will “inevitably” trigger Palestinians, said Israeli police.

M.N