Israeli Minister Storms Al-Aqsa Courtyards Amid Calls to Escalate Incursions on Anniversary of Jerusalem's Occupation

This Wednesday morning, Yitzhak Wasserlauf, the Israeli Minister of the Negev and Galilee, stormed the courtyards of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque under tight protection from occupation forces. This provocative move comes ahead of the commemoration of the occupation of the eastern part of occupied Jerusalem according to the Hebrew calendar.

During his tour of the mosque, the minister, who belongs to the far-right 'Jewish Power' party, called on the Israeli public to intensify incursions. Wasserlauf described these actions as part of the 'revolution' led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to impose a new reality in the Noble Sanctuary.

These developments coincide with extensive Israeli preparations to commemorate what is called 'Jerusalem Day,' which falls on May 15th. Ironically, this date this year coincides with the Palestinian people's commemoration of the 78th anniversary of the Nakba, threatening to raise the level of tension in the holy city.

In a related context, media sources revealed a letter sent by 22 Israeli officials, including 9 ministers and 13 Knesset members, to the police leadership. The letter demanded that all necessary facilities be provided to enable settlers to carry out large-scale mass incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque in the coming days.

The far-right organization 'B'yadenu' published the text of the letter, which incites systematic violation of the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque. These organizations work in coordination with government bodies to mobilize the largest possible number of participants in the provocative events planned in the heart of Old Jerusalem.

Estimates indicate that about 50,000 settlers are preparing to participate in the annual 'Flag March' that will parade through the neighborhoods of East Jerusalem tomorrow evening. The march is expected to include racist slogans hostile to Arabs and Muslims, raising fears of field confrontations.

For its part, the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) warned of the repercussions of these incursions, considering them a continuation of the Judaization policy pursued by the occupation government. The movement affirmed in a press statement that these measures will not succeed in changing the Islamic and historical identity of Al-Aqsa Mosque or imposing new equations.

Hamas stressed that the Palestinian people will continue their steadfastness and resilience in the face of the occupation's arrogance and attempts to harm their holy sites. It stated that the resistance is closely monitoring these violations, which disregard all international warnings and calls for restraint.

On the diplomatic front, the State of Qatar expressed its strong condemnation of the Israeli minister's storming of the Al-Aqsa courtyards, describing it as a blatant violation of international law. The Qatari Foreign Ministry affirmed in a statement that these actions constitute a provocation to the feelings of millions of Muslims around the world and fuel the conflict in the region.

Doha called on the international community to assume its legal and moral responsibilities towards protecting Jerusalem and its holy sites from repeated violations. It also reiterated its firm stance in supporting the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among them the establishment of their independent state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The Zionist minister's storming of the Al-Aqsa courtyards is a practical translation of the government's policy aimed at Judaizing the city and entrenching incursions as a fait accompli.