Jerusalem: israeli police entered a flashpoint sacred site in Jerusalem On Thursday, after resumption of Jewish tours halted for Muslim holidays, to clear Palestinian protesters.
There have been several rounds of clashes in recent weeks at the al-Aqsa mosque complex, the third holiest site for Muslims, built on top of a hill that is the holiest for Jews, making it the most sacred site for Muslims. It is called a holy place. Temple Mount, It is at the emotional center of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
As the voyages resumed, dozens of Palestinians gathered, “God is the greatest.” When the police went to arrest one, a scuffle broke out. As some Palestinians took shelter inside the mosque, police fired rubber-covered bullets over the vast area. Later the police could be seen inside the entrance of the mosque.
Police said they retaliated to dozens of people who resorted to provocation and stone-pelting, and that one police officer sustained minor injuries.
But unlike previous confrontations, Palestinian witnesses said there was initially no sign of stone-pelting. When the police started entering the building, some of those who took shelter inside the mosque started pelting stones. Witnesses spoke on condition of anonymity due to security concerns.
Under an informal arrangement known as the status quo, Jews are allowed to visit the site, but not pray there. In recent years, they have been accompanied by an ever-increasing number of police escorts and many have prayed cautiously, angering Palestinians as well as neighbors. Jordan, who is the custodian of the site. Palestinians have long feared that Israel There are plans to eventually occupy the site or split it up.
Israel says it is committed to maintaining the status quo, and accuses the Islamic terrorist group Hamas To incite recent violence.
Travel by mostly nationalist and religious Jews resumed on Thursday after being halted for the last 10 days of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the Eid-ul-Fitr holiday.
Thursday is also Israel’s Independence Day, and in recent days fringe groups have called for Jewish worshipers to celebrate by waving Israeli flags at the holy site. The calls were widely circulated by Palestinians on social media, along with calls to confront any such demonstrations.
Hussein al-Sheikh, a senior Palestinian official who serves as the main liaison between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, tweeted about the controversy, saying that raising the flag would show a “disgraceful disregard for Palestinian sentiments” and “demonstration of extremist racist campaigns”. Continuity”. ,
Hamas warned on Wednesday that Israel was “playing with fire and dragging the region into a position for which the occupation bears full responsibility.”
Last year the conflicts in and around al-Aqsa helped ignite an 11-day war between Israel and Hamas.
There have been several rounds of clashes in recent weeks at the al-Aqsa mosque complex, the third holiest site for Muslims, built on top of a hill that is the holiest for Jews, making it the most sacred site for Muslims. It is called a holy place. Temple Mount, It is at the emotional center of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
As the voyages resumed, dozens of Palestinians gathered, “God is the greatest.” When the police went to arrest one, a scuffle broke out. As some Palestinians took shelter inside the mosque, police fired rubber-covered bullets over the vast area. Later the police could be seen inside the entrance of the mosque.
Police said they retaliated to dozens of people who resorted to provocation and stone-pelting, and that one police officer sustained minor injuries.
But unlike previous confrontations, Palestinian witnesses said there was initially no sign of stone-pelting. When the police started entering the building, some of those who took shelter inside the mosque started pelting stones. Witnesses spoke on condition of anonymity due to security concerns.
Under an informal arrangement known as the status quo, Jews are allowed to visit the site, but not pray there. In recent years, they have been accompanied by an ever-increasing number of police escorts and many have prayed cautiously, angering Palestinians as well as neighbors. Jordan, who is the custodian of the site. Palestinians have long feared that Israel There are plans to eventually occupy the site or split it up.
Israel says it is committed to maintaining the status quo, and accuses the Islamic terrorist group Hamas To incite recent violence.
Travel by mostly nationalist and religious Jews resumed on Thursday after being halted for the last 10 days of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the Eid-ul-Fitr holiday.
Thursday is also Israel’s Independence Day, and in recent days fringe groups have called for Jewish worshipers to celebrate by waving Israeli flags at the holy site. The calls were widely circulated by Palestinians on social media, along with calls to confront any such demonstrations.
Hussein al-Sheikh, a senior Palestinian official who serves as the main liaison between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, tweeted about the controversy, saying that raising the flag would show a “disgraceful disregard for Palestinian sentiments” and “demonstration of extremist racist campaigns”. Continuity”. ,
Hamas warned on Wednesday that Israel was “playing with fire and dragging the region into a position for which the occupation bears full responsibility.”
Last year the conflicts in and around al-Aqsa helped ignite an 11-day war between Israel and Hamas.