Clashes erupt at Jerusalem holy site, 152 Palestinians injured

Palestinians clashed with Israeli police on the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem earlier than daybreak on Friday as 1000’s gathered for prayers through the holy month of Ramadan. Medics stated that no less than 152 Palestinians had been wounded.

The holy website, which is sacred to Jews and Muslims, has typically been the epicentre of Israeli-Palestinian unrest, and tensions had been already heightened amid a current wave of violence. Clashes on the website final 12 months helped spark an 11-day conflict with Hamas militants within the Gaza Strip.

The clashes come at a very delicate time. Ramadan this 12 months coincides with Passover, a significant weeklong Jewish vacation starting Friday at sunset, and Christian holy week, which culminates on Easter Sunday. The vacations are anticipated to convey tens of 1000’s of devoted into Jerusalem’s Outdated Metropolis, dwelling to main websites sacred to all three religions.

Hours after the clashes started, police stated that they had put an finish to the violence and arrested “lots of” of suspects. The mosque was reopened, and a few 60,000 individuals attended the principle Friday prayers noon, in accordance with the Islamic endowment that administers the positioning.

After prayers, 1000’s of Palestinians marched across the esplanade, chanting “with our souls, with our blood, we sacrifice for you, Al-Aqsa,” along with slogans in help of Hamas, the Islamic militant group that guidelines Gaza. Some carried Palestinian and Hamas flags.

Israeli authorities stated that earlier than the violence broke out that they had held negotiations with Muslim leaders to make sure calm. However police say Palestinians stockpiled rocks and different objects contained in the compound and hurled stones on the Mughrabi Gate, which results in the Western Wall — a significant Jewish holy website — triggering the violence.

Palestinian witnesses, who spoke on situation of anonymity out of safety issues, stated a small group of Palestinians threw rocks at police, who then entered the compound in pressure, setting off a wider conflagration.

Movies circulating on-line confirmed Palestinians throwing rocks and fireworks and police firing tear gasoline and stun grenades on the sprawling esplanade surrounding the mosque. Others confirmed worshippers barricading themselves contained in the mosque.

Later within the morning, Israeli police entered the mosque itself. Israeli safety forces hardly ever enter the constructing, and once they do it’s seen by Palestinians as a significant escalation.

The Palestinian Crimson Crescent emergency service stated it handled 152 individuals, a lot of them wounded by rubber-coated bullets or stun grenades, or crushed with batons. The endowment stated one of many guards on the website was shot within the eye with a rubber bullet.

The Israeli police stated three officers had been wounded from “large stone-throwing,” with two evacuated from the scene for therapy.

The Israeli Overseas Ministry stated that dozens of masked males carrying Palestinian and Hamas flags had marched to the compound earlier than daybreak on Friday and gathered stones and different objects in anticipation of unrest.

“Police had been pressured to enter the grounds to disperse the gang and take away the stones and rocks, with a purpose to forestall additional violence,” it tweeted.

Palestinians view any massive deployment of police at Al-Aqsa as a significant provocation.

Tensions excessive after string of assaults

Israel’s nationwide safety minister, Omer Barlev, who oversees the police pressure, stated Israel had “no curiosity” in violence on the holy website however that police had been pressured to confront “violent parts” that attacked them with stones and steel bars. He stated Israel was dedicated to freedom of worship for Jews and Muslims alike.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, talking at a vacation gathering with safety officers, stated authorities “are working to calm issues on the Temple Mount and all through Israel. On the similar time, we’re ready for any situation.”

The mosque is the third holiest website in Islam. It’s constructed on a hilltop in Jerusalem’s Outdated Metropolis that’s the most sacred website for Jews, who seek advice from it because the Temple Mount. It has been a significant flashpoint for Israeli-Palestinian violence for many years and was the epicentre of the 2000-2005 Palestinian intifada, or rebellion.

Tensions have soared in current weeks following a collection of assaults by Palestinians that killed 14 individuals inside Israel. Israel has carried out a wave of arrests and army operations throughout the occupied West Financial institution, setting off clashes with Palestinians.

Tor Wennesland, the United Nations envoy for the Mideast peace course of, which floor to a halt greater than a decade in the past, known as on Israeli and Palestinian authorities “to right away de-escalate the scenario and forestall any additional provocations by radical actors.”

The Palestinian Well being Ministry stated a 17-year-old died early Friday from wounds suffered throughout clashes with Israeli forces in Jenin, within the occupied West Financial institution, the day earlier than.

At the very least 25 Palestinians have been killed within the current wave of violence, in accordance with an Related Press depend, a lot of whom had carried out assaults or had been concerned within the clashes, but additionally an unarmed lady and a lawyer who seems to have been killed by mistake.

Tens of 1000’s of Palestinians had been anticipated to assemble at Al-Aqsa for Friday prayers.

Weeks of protests and clashes in Jerusalem throughout Ramadan final 12 months ultimately ignited an 11-day conflict with the Islamic militant group Hamas, which guidelines the Gaza Strip.

Israel had lifted restrictions and brought different steps to try to calm tensions forward of Ramadan, however the assaults and the army raids have prompted one other wave of unrest.

Hamas condemned what it stated had been “brutal assaults” on worshippers at Al-Aqsa by Israeli forces, saying Israel would bear “all the results.” It known as on all Palestinians to “stand by our individuals in Jerusalem.”

Earlier this week, Hamas and different militant teams in Gaza had known as on Palestinians to camp out on the Al-Aqsa mosque over the weekend. Palestinians have lengthy feared that Israel plans to take over the positioning or partition it.

Israeli authorities say they’re dedicated to sustaining the established order, however in recent times nationalist and non secular Jews have visited the positioning in massive numbers with police escorts.

Israel captured East Jerusalem, dwelling to Al-Aqsa and different main holy websites, within the 1967 conflict and annexed it in a transfer not acknowledged internationally. Palestinians need the jap a part of town to be the capital of a future unbiased state together with the West Financial institution and Gaza, which Israel additionally captured through the conflict practically 55 years in the past.