By Fatima Abu Sbeitan

JERUSALEM (AA): Dozens of Israeli settlers forced their way into Jerusalem’s flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque complex on Sunday in celebration of the Jewish New Year.

In a statement, the Jerusalem Awqaf Department said 76 settlers backed by Israeli police forces had entered the compound.

According to an Anadolu Agency reporter, the settlers toured the courtyard in celebration of the Jewish Rosh Hashanah, which falls from Sunday to Thursday.

Right-wing Jewish supporters have called on supporters over the past few days to converge on the Al-Aqsa compound to celebrate the occasion.

On Saturday, an Israeli settler attempted to blow in a shofar inside the flashpoint compound, but he was kicked out by the guards.

Al-Aqsa represents the world’s third-holiest site for Muslims, while Jews refer to the area as the “Temple Mount,” claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem, in which the Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War.

In a move never recognized by the international community, Israel annexed the entire city in 1980, claiming it as the Jewish state’s “eternal and undivided” capital.

*Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara

[Archive Photo: 1000 Jewish settlers invade Al Aqsa mosque compound under the protection of Israeli forces in East Jerusalem on 22 July 2018. Photographer: Mostafa Alkharouf/ AA]