Dozens of Jewish settlers and Israeli police on Wednesday forced their way into the flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem

Dozens of Jewish settlers and Israeli police on Wednesday forced their way into the flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem, a Palestinian official said.

"Around 25 settlers in three groups – backed by Israeli police – forced their way through the Al-Mugharbeh Gate and toured the holy compound," Palestinian director of the complex Sheikh Omar al-Qiswani told.

Palestinian compound guards also expelled a setter disguised as a foreign tourist who tried to perform Talmudic rituals near the Dome of the Rock Mosque.

Tension has run high at the flashpoint mosque complex since the early hours of the morning, when Israeli police imposed strict security measures on Muslim women seeking to visit the holy site.

For Muslims, Al-Aqsa represents the world's third holiest site. Jews, for their part, refer to the area as the "Temple Mount," claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.