Israeli premier storms Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque to celebrate Jewish Hanukkah holiday

By Betul Yilmaz

ISTANBUL (AA) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem on Tuesday to celebrate the Jewish Hanukkah holiday.

In a statement, the Jerusalem Governorate denounced Netanyahu’s visit to the mosque’s Western Wall (Al-Buraq Wall) “a new provocative move.”

The Al-Buraq Wall, called by Jews as the Western Wall or Wailing Wall, is a significant religious site for both Muslims and Jews and forms part of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

Netanyahu’s office shared photos of the premier, along with several officials, including US Ambassador Mike Huckabee, while visiting the Western Wall at the flashpoint site.

The eight-day Hanukkah holiday is marked from Dec. 14 to Dec. 22.

According to Palestinian authorities, at least 210 illegal Israeli settlers broke into the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex to mark the occasion since Monday.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world's third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews call the area the Temple Mount, saying it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. It annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move never recognized by the international community.