The hyperbolic and inaccurate claim that Jews “storm” the al-Aqsa mosque (or often even “invade” the mosque) in Jerusalem is typically only advanced by the Palestinian and Arab media (and other anti-Isarel voices) to characterize Jews who visit the larger Temple Mount compound where the mosque is located.
It is also the location where the First and Second Jewish Temples stood, and is the holiest site in Judaism.
Since non-Muslim prayer is forbidden anywhere on the Temple Mount grounds – out of fear that Palestinian rioting would likely ensue – Jews who attempt even a silent prayer on the site are routinely arrested by police.
Such an incident occurred yesterday, in which several Jews were arrested after allegedly attempting to pray at the Temple Mount/Al-Aqsa Mosque compound – as reported by the UK paper The Telegraph on Nov. 2nd. Though we’ve commented previously on examples of other UK media sites using language about Jews on the Temple Mount which mirrors what’s routinely used by Palestinian propagandists, The Telegraph’s headline represents one of the more egregious examples of this disturbing trend.
The text in The Telegraph article (written by Kate Shuttleworth) clarifies to some degree the actual events (confirmed by the Getty Image caption of the photo used by The Telegraph), and notes that “Jewish protesters” were “arrested by Israeli police for trying to barge inside the Al Aqsa mosque grounds and pray”. Again, “mosque grounds” is another way of saying the Temple Mount. (It should also be noted that the Temple Mount was open to all visitors on the day in question, and so the claim that the Jews in question “barged” into the compound is itself misleading.)
Any way you parse it, The Telegraph headline and strap line are propagandistic and clearly inaccurate.