Screengrab of Archbishop of Sebastia from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of occupied Palestine Theodosius Atallah Hanna talking to Al Mayadeen channel on Thursday, May 18, 2023. (Al Mayadeen)

Theodosius Atallah Hanna, the Archbishop of Sebastia from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of occupied Palestine, declared on Thursday that occupied Al-Quds is in the hearts of the entirety of the Palestinian people.

"Al-Quds is our spiritual capital," he told Al Mayadeen.

Provoking Muslims in Al-Aqsa Mosque is "a provocation to all Palestinians of Al-Quds, Muslims and Christians."

Al Mayadeen's correspondent in occupied Al-Quds reported earlier today that more than 900 Israeli settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque on Thursday morning.

Palestinian Cameraman Wehbi Makkiyyeh told Al-Mayadeen's correspondent that he was expelled from Al-Aqsa's courtyards for filming on his phone the Israeli violations taking place in the courtyard.

The storming came at a time when the occupation forces tightened their measures in Al-Quds in preparations for the Flag March, and prevented Palestinians from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque to perform their morning prayers.

🔴 #عاجل|| مجموعات المستوطنين تبدأ باقتحام المسجد الأقصى المبارك بحماية من قوات الاحتلال. pic.twitter.com/dYN5z29FCI
— أدهم أبو سلمية #غزة 🇵🇸 (@adham922) May 18, 2023

"The flag march comes at a time when the Knesset is enacting a law criminalizing the raising of the Palestinian flag in the areas of the West Bank," he added.

"مسيرة الأعلام تأتي في وقت يسن فيه الكنيست قانون تجريم رفع العلم الفلسطيني في مناطق #الضفة الغربية."
رئيس أساقفة سبسطية للروم الأرثوذكس في #القدس المحتلة، المطران عطا الله حنا لـ #الميادين #فلسطين pic.twitter.com/z3wtvU4pNx
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) May 18, 2023

Archbishop Hanna further confirmed that "with the support of friends, we will remain strong against this occupation."

"The occupation's authorities take advantage of any and all occasions to extend their sovereignty over the holy city of Al-Quds," he continued.

"استفزاز المسلمين في #الأقصى هو استفزاز لكل المقدسيين مسلمين ومسيحيين."
رئيس أساقفة سبسطية للروم الأرثوذكس في #القدس المحتلة، المطران عطا الله حنا لـ #الميادين #فلسطين #المسجد_الأقصى pic.twitter.com/EOee8oo3cG
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) May 18, 2023

He further warned that "the occupation wants us divided, and this will not happen."

The streets of the Old City of Al-Quds that lead to Al-Aqsa Mosque witnessed a state of alert by the occupation forces in the morning, including the deployment of over 3,200 police officers to protect the Israeli rampage planned for today.

This year's march is taking place just days after the Israeli occupation launched an aggression on the Gaza Strip, which resulted in the martyrdom of 33 Palestinians, almost a third of whom were children and women.

This is not the first time the Archbishop affirms that Israeli aggressions on Al-Aqsa target all Palestinians, Muslims, and Christians alike.

Israeli occupation forces continuously stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque in April during the holy month of Ramadan and brutally assaulted Palestinian worshippers who were stationed there as part of the religious practice of Itikaf, which is highly prevalent during the holy month of Ramadan.

Archbishop Hanna told Al Mayadeen then that the "attacks on Muslims in Al-Aqsa are an attack on Christians as well," and warned that what happened today in Al-Aqsa "may happen in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher."

"Palestinian Christians, along with visitors and pilgrims from all over the world, are often subjected to insults by settlers," indicating that "the occupation treats the Palestinians in Al-Quds as if they don't belong to this land and they are bypassers," he added.

"Al-Aqsa and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Al-Quds are inseparable twins," he stressed, adding that "We will not give up our Al-Quds and its identity."