Palestinians call for pilgrimage to Al-Aqsa mosque on 'Day of Arafat'

Palestinian Jerusalemites have called for going on a holy pilgrimage to Al-Aqsa Mosque to repel settler attacks on the holy Day of Arafat, which Muslims mark next Sunday.

Activists in the West Bank and Jerusalem have called for the Palestinians to ensure a massive presence at Al-Aqsa Mosque and to observe a day of prayer and seclusion there on the Day of Arafat, to confront the settlers who are likely to carry out incursions into the mosque.

Some extremist settler groups have already called for settlers to storm Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Day of Arafat, according to local media.

"We are calling on people to travel to Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Day of Arafat to repel settlers’ incursions into the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque", Al-Qastal, a networking hub for Palestinians in occupied Jerusalem, tweeted.

Israeli settler groups, backed by occupying forces, have a pattern of storming Al-Aqsa Mosque as well as placing restrictions on Muslim worshipers on holy days. This was last seen in May during the holiday of Eid Al-Fitr, which comes after the month of Ramadan.

Over the last few days, settlers stormed more than one area inside Al-Aqsa compound, in a move that is being described as provocative and unusual.

For the first time, the Jewish settlers reached the northern wall area of ​​Al-Aqsa Mosque under the protection of the occupation forces.

The Day of Arafah is an Islamic holiday that falls on the 9th day of the Islamic month of Hajj. It is the holiest day in the Islamic calendar, the second day of the Hajj pilgrimage, and the day after is the first day of the major Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha.