Jerusalem Archbishop Slams Israeli Raids on Al-Aqsa

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Jerusalem accused Israel of committing aggressions against both Muslims and Christians by raids on the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, the third holiest site in Islam.

"Targeting the Gaza Strip means targeting Jerusalem and all the Palestinian lands," Archbishop Atallah Hanna said, World Bulletin reported.

The Archbishop also called on Palestinians to stand united against Israeli attempts to Judaize the city of Jerusalem.

For the last year, groups of extremist Jewish settlers – often accompanied by Israeli security forces – have repeatedly forced their way into the Al-Aqsa complex. The frequent violations anger Palestinian Muslims and occasionally lead to violent confrontations.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem during the 1967 Middle East War. It later annexed the holy city in 1980, claiming it as the capital of the self-proclaimed Jewish regime, a move never recognized by the international community.

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