Issued on: 09/05/2021
An Israeli police officer aims his rifle towards Palestinian demonstrators during clashes at Damascus Gate just outside Jerusalem's Old City, on May 8, 2021. © Oded Balilty, AP
Text by: NEWS WIRES
Scores of people were injured Saturday as Israeli police fired water cannon and rubber bullets to disperse Palestinian protesters in annexed east Jerusalem, a day after fierce clashes at the city's Al-Aqsa mosque.
The fresh violence, a day after more than 200 people were wounded at the mosque, prompted international calls for an end to the violence.
Police said they dispersed the rally in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood where demonstrators had thrown stones at security forces.
Officials said Sunday a rocket had been fired from the Gaza Strip, with the Israel Defense Forces responding by striking a "military target" in the south. Earlier, officers had fired tear gas towards protesters on the border.
In Jerusalem, police said they made three arrests for attacks on officers, while Palestinians reported 13 other arrests earlier in the day.
The Palestinian Red Crescent reported 90 people were wounded in Saturday's clashes in Jerusalem, revising up their earlier estimate of 53.
AFP journalists in Jerusalem said Israeli riot police had fired rubber bullets, sound grenades and water cannon on Palestinians Saturday, some of whom threw projectiles at the police. One officer received a head injury, said police.
On Friday, riot police stormed Al-Aqsa mosque compound, after they said Palestinians threw rocks and fireworks at officers.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the police actions.
"Israel is acting responsibly to ensure respect for law and order in Jerusalem while allowing freedom of worship," he said in a meeting of security officials.
The violence was the worst in years at Al-Aqsa, Islam's third-holiest site after Mecca and Medina, located on the site Jews revere as the Temple Mount.
A focal point
Palestinians have held nightly protests in Sheikh Jarrah against an attempt by Israeli settlers to take over Arab homes.
On Saturday, protesters chanted, waved Palestinian flags and threw stones before police moved in.
Dozens of Arab Israeli protesters also gathered across Israel in solidarity with Sheikh Jarrah residents, holding up signs that read "the occupation is terrorism".
East Jerusalem Palestinians face evictions following settlers' lawsuits
A reporter for Israeli public TV tweeted footage of a Jewish driver whose car was attacked with stones and windows shattered at the entrance to Sheikh Jarrah Saturday.
Police blocked buses filled with Arabs headed for Jerusalem from northern Israel, saying they would not be allowed "to participate in violent riots".
Instead, hundreds marched on highways leading to the city.
Thousands of worshippers stayed on at Al-Aqsa on Saturday for Laylat al-Qadr (Night of Destiny), a peak of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
The Islamist movement Hamas, which rules Gaza, urged Palestinians to remain at Al-Aqsa until Ramadan ends, warning that "the resistance is ready to defend Al-Aqsa at any cost".
Outside the Damascus Gate entrance to Jerusalem's Old City, Palestinians set fire to a barricade before police on horseback dispersed the protesters.
'Extreme concern'
The Quartet of envoys from the European Union, Russia, the United States and the United Nations expressed "deep concern" over the violence.
"We call upon Israeli authorities to exercise restraint," they wrote.
The United States -- an Israeli ally whose tone has toughened under US President Joe Biden -- said it was "extremely concerned" and urged both sides to "avoid steps that exacerbate tensions or take us farther away from peace".
"This includes evictions in east Jerusalem, settlement activity, home demolitions and acts of terrorism," the State Department said.
The European Union called on the authorities "to act urgently to de-escalate the current tensions," saying "violence and incitement are unacceptable and the perpetrators on all sides must be held accountable".
Russia voiced "deep concern", calling the expropriation of land and property in the occupied Palestinian territories including east Jerusalem "a violation of international law".
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said he held the Israeli government responsible for the unrest and voiced "full support for our heroes in Al-Aqsa".
Yair Lapid, an Israeli politician attempting to form a coalition government to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, backed the police.
"The state of Israel will not let violence run loose and definitely will not allow terror groups to threaten it," he tweeted.
'Barbaric attack'
The Al-Aqsa clashes drew sharp rebukes across the Arab and Muslim world.
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan denounced Israel as a "cruel terrorist state" in a speech in Ankara Saturday, calling on the United Nations to intervene to "stop the persecution".
Jordan condemned Israel's "barbaric attack" and Egypt, Turkey, Tunisia, Pakistan and Qatar were among Muslim countries that blasted Israeli forces for the confrontation.
Israel also drew criticism from Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, two countries that signed normalisation accords with the Jewish state last year.
Iran called on the United Nations to condemn the Israeli police actions, arguing that "this war crime once again proved to the world the criminal nature of the illegitimate Zionist regime".
Tensions are expected to remain high in Jerusalem.
Israel's supreme court is to hold a new hearing in the Sheikh Jarrah case on Monday, when Israelis mark Jerusalem Day to celebrate the "liberation" of the city.
(AFP)
Hundreds injured as Israeli police, Palestinians clash at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque
Issued on: 08/05/2021 -
Text by: NEWS WIRES
Video by: Yena LEE
Israel braced for more protests Saturday after clashes at Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound wounded more than 200 people and as the US, EU and regional powers urged calm after days of escalating violence.
In the unrest following Muslim prayers Friday, Israeli riot police fired rubber bullets and stun grenades at Palestinians who hurled rocks, bottles and fireworks at officers at Islam's third-holiest site, which is also revered by Jews.
Israeli police said 18 officers were wounded while the Palestinian Red Crescent reported that 205 Palestinians were injured in the violence at Al-Aqsa and across annexed east Jerusalem, including more than 80 who were hospitalised.
Video footage showed Israeli forces storming the mosque's sprawling plaza and firing sound grenades inside the building, where throngs of worshippers including women and children were praying on the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
An AFP reporter witnessed hundreds of Palestinians hurling stones at police. He said officers locked the doors of Al-Aqsa mosque, trapping worshippers for at least an hour.
The clashes came as tensions have soared over Israeli restrictions on access to parts of the Old City during Ramadan and the threat of eviction hanging over four Palestinian families in east Jerusalem to make way for Jewish settlers.
The Islamist movement Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, urged Palestinians to remain at the Al-Aqsa compound until Thursday morning, when Ramadan ends, warning that "the resistance is ready to defend Al-Aqsa at any cost".
Al-Aqsa is in the Haram al-Sharif compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, which also includes the Dome of the Rock.
'Heavy price'
On Saturday dozens of Arab citizens of Israel protested in Nazareth in solidarity with Jerusalem Palestinians, holding signs that read "the occupation is terrorism".
The High Follow up Committee for the Arabs in Israel, which represents the country's 20 percent minority, called for protests in other Arab cities and Jerusalem.
The United States -- a staunch Israeli ally whose tone has however toughened under US President Joe Biden -- said it was "extremely concerned" by the events and urged both sides to "avoid steps that exacerbate tensions or take us farther away from peace".
"This includes evictions in east Jerusalem, settlement activity, home demolitions and acts of terrorism," the State Department said.
The European Union called on the authorities "to act urgently to de-escalate the current tensions," saying "violence and incitement are unacceptable and the perpetrators on all sides must be held accountable".
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said he held the Israeli government responsible for the unrest and voiced "full support for our heroes in Al-Aqsa".
Yair Lapid, an Israeli politician attempting to form a coalition government to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, sent encouragement to police officers.
"The state of Israel will not let violence run loose and definitely will not allow terror groups to threaten it," he tweeted. "Whoever wants to harm us must know that he will pay a heavy price."
'Barbaric attack'
Al-Aqsa mosque director Omar al-Kiswani said in a video posted by Palestinian activists that, directly after the evening iftar break fast meal, "the Al-Aqsa mosque was stormed and unarmed worshippers were attacked to empty it".
Hundreds of people slept on the carpets on the mosque Friday night. Although this is not unusual during Ramadan, many stayed in an act of defiance against the police action.
Jordan condemned Israel's "barbaric attack", and Egypt, Turkey, Tunisia, Pakistan and Qatar blasted Israeli forces for the confrontation.
Israel also drew criticism from Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, two countries that signed normalisation accords with Israel last year.
Iran called on the United Nations to condemn the Israeli police actions, arguing that "this war crime once again proved to the world the criminal nature of the illegitimate Zionist regime".
The clashes followed a week of intensifying violence.
Earlier Friday, Israeli police said officers killed two Palestinians and wounded a third after the three men opened fire on the Salem base in the occupied West Bank -- the latest of several deadly shootings that week.
Clashes have also repeatedly broken out in east Jerusalem's Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood, fuelled by a years-long attempt by Jewish settlers to take over Palestinian homes.
02:10
Israel's Supreme Court is to hold a new hearing in the case on Monday, when Israelis mark Jerusalem Day to celebrate the "liberation" of the city, including with a parade of Israeli flags through the Old City.
(AFP)
NEWS
Fresh Jerusalem clashes leave more than 90 injured, Palestinian medics say
Tensions have been mounting over the possible eviction of Palestinians from the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Shaikh Jarrah. The US, Russia, EU and UN have expressed their "deep concern" about the latest clashes.
Tensions have been rising in Jersualem over the possible eviction of Palestinians from an eastern neighborhood of the holy city.
Fresh clashes broke out between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police in Jerusalem late on Saturday, leaving dozens of people injured.
Tensions have been rising over the potential eviction of Palestinians from land claimed by Jewish settlers in the Shaikh Jarrah neighborhood of the city.
A spokesman for the Palestinian Red Crescent told the AFP news agency that 90 people had been wounded in the violence that saw stun grenades and rubber bullets fired to disperse the crowds.
The aid service had given an earlier estimate of 53 people who had been injured.
The clashes took place outside Jerusalem's Old City during what was believed to be the holiest night of Ramadan.
Israeli police had cordoned off areas of the Old City to prevent gatherings and cracked down on protesters in a show of force that threatened to deepen the holy city's worst religious unrest in several years. The police defended their actions as security moves but were by Muslims as provocations.
World powers 'concerned'
The four members of the Middle East Quartet — the US, Russia, the EU, and the UN — expressed "deep concern" over the recent unrest.
They pointed to "last night's confrontations (Friday) between Palestinians and Israeli security forces at Haram Al-Sharif/Temple Mount."
"We are alarmed by the provocative statements made by some political groups, as well as the launching of rockets and the resumption of incendiary balloons from Gaza towards Israel, and attacks on Palestinian farmland in the West Bank."
"We call upon Israeli authorities to exercise restraint and to avoid measures that would further escalate the situation during this period of Muslim Holy Days," the statement said, insisting that "all leaders have a responsibility to act against extremists and to speak out against all acts of violence and incitement."
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan went so far as to call Israel a "terrorist state," criticizing the country's actions in East Jerusalem.
The "cruel Israel, the terrorist state of Israel" is "brutally and immorally" attacking Muslims in Jerusalem, Erdogan said on Saturday
evening. "A world that cannot protect Jerusalem and Muslims has betrayed itself."
He called on the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and other international organizations to take action.
More than 200 people have been injured in clashes over the past two days.
Netanyahu defends response
Speaking to a meeting of senior security officials, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the police.
"Israel is acting responsibly to ensure respect for law and order in Jerusalem while allowing freedom of worship," he said.
Police Commissioner Yaakov Shabtai said extra officers had been deployed in Jerusalem on Saturday to "enable freedom of worship and maintain order and security."
"At the same time, we will not allow violent riots, lawbreaking, or the harming of police officers. We ask everyone to calm the spirits and violence, particularly on such an important day for the Muslim religion," Shabtai said in a statement.
Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state. Israel claims the entire city as its eternal, indivisible capital.
Its annexation of the eastern section was not recognized internationally.
A long-running dispute between Palestinians and Israeli settlers in Shaikh Jarrah is set to be heard by the Israeli supreme court on Monday.
The League of Arab States has urged the international community to intervene to prevent any forced evictions.
jf/aw (AFP, Reuters)
Issued on: 08/05/2021 -
Palestinians react as Israeli police fire stun grenades during clashes at the compound that houses Al-Aqsa Mosque, known to Muslims as Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as Temple Mount, amid tension over the possible eviction of several Palestinian families from homes on land claimed by Jewish settlers in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood, in Jerusalem's Old City, on May 7, 2021. © Ammar Awad, Reuters
Text by: NEWS WIRES
Video by: Yena LEE
Israel braced for more protests Saturday after clashes at Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound wounded more than 200 people and as the US, EU and regional powers urged calm after days of escalating violence.
In the unrest following Muslim prayers Friday, Israeli riot police fired rubber bullets and stun grenades at Palestinians who hurled rocks, bottles and fireworks at officers at Islam's third-holiest site, which is also revered by Jews.
Israeli police said 18 officers were wounded while the Palestinian Red Crescent reported that 205 Palestinians were injured in the violence at Al-Aqsa and across annexed east Jerusalem, including more than 80 who were hospitalised.
Video footage showed Israeli forces storming the mosque's sprawling plaza and firing sound grenades inside the building, where throngs of worshippers including women and children were praying on the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
An AFP reporter witnessed hundreds of Palestinians hurling stones at police. He said officers locked the doors of Al-Aqsa mosque, trapping worshippers for at least an hour.
The clashes came as tensions have soared over Israeli restrictions on access to parts of the Old City during Ramadan and the threat of eviction hanging over four Palestinian families in east Jerusalem to make way for Jewish settlers.
02:51
The Islamist movement Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, urged Palestinians to remain at the Al-Aqsa compound until Thursday morning, when Ramadan ends, warning that "the resistance is ready to defend Al-Aqsa at any cost".
Al-Aqsa is in the Haram al-Sharif compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, which also includes the Dome of the Rock.
'Heavy price'
On Saturday dozens of Arab citizens of Israel protested in Nazareth in solidarity with Jerusalem Palestinians, holding signs that read "the occupation is terrorism".
The High Follow up Committee for the Arabs in Israel, which represents the country's 20 percent minority, called for protests in other Arab cities and Jerusalem.
The United States -- a staunch Israeli ally whose tone has however toughened under US President Joe Biden -- said it was "extremely concerned" by the events and urged both sides to "avoid steps that exacerbate tensions or take us farther away from peace".
"This includes evictions in east Jerusalem, settlement activity, home demolitions and acts of terrorism," the State Department said.
The European Union called on the authorities "to act urgently to de-escalate the current tensions," saying "violence and incitement are unacceptable and the perpetrators on all sides must be held accountable".
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said he held the Israeli government responsible for the unrest and voiced "full support for our heroes in Al-Aqsa".
Yair Lapid, an Israeli politician attempting to form a coalition government to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, sent encouragement to police officers.
"The state of Israel will not let violence run loose and definitely will not allow terror groups to threaten it," he tweeted. "Whoever wants to harm us must know that he will pay a heavy price."
'Barbaric attack'
Al-Aqsa mosque director Omar al-Kiswani said in a video posted by Palestinian activists that, directly after the evening iftar break fast meal, "the Al-Aqsa mosque was stormed and unarmed worshippers were attacked to empty it".
Hundreds of people slept on the carpets on the mosque Friday night. Although this is not unusual during Ramadan, many stayed in an act of defiance against the police action.
Jordan condemned Israel's "barbaric attack", and Egypt, Turkey, Tunisia, Pakistan and Qatar blasted Israeli forces for the confrontation.
Israel also drew criticism from Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, two countries that signed normalisation accords with Israel last year.
Iran called on the United Nations to condemn the Israeli police actions, arguing that "this war crime once again proved to the world the criminal nature of the illegitimate Zionist regime".
The clashes followed a week of intensifying violence.
Earlier Friday, Israeli police said officers killed two Palestinians and wounded a third after the three men opened fire on the Salem base in the occupied West Bank -- the latest of several deadly shootings that week.
Clashes have also repeatedly broken out in east Jerusalem's Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood, fuelled by a years-long attempt by Jewish settlers to take over Palestinian homes.
02:10
Israel's Supreme Court is to hold a new hearing in the case on Monday, when Israelis mark Jerusalem Day to celebrate the "liberation" of the city, including with a parade of Israeli flags through the Old City.
(AFP)
NEWS
Fresh Jerusalem clashes leave more than 90 injured, Palestinian medics say
Tensions have been mounting over the possible eviction of Palestinians from the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Shaikh Jarrah. The US, Russia, EU and UN have expressed their "deep concern" about the latest clashes.
Tensions have been rising in Jersualem over the possible eviction of Palestinians from an eastern neighborhood of the holy city.
Fresh clashes broke out between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police in Jerusalem late on Saturday, leaving dozens of people injured.
Tensions have been rising over the potential eviction of Palestinians from land claimed by Jewish settlers in the Shaikh Jarrah neighborhood of the city.
A spokesman for the Palestinian Red Crescent told the AFP news agency that 90 people had been wounded in the violence that saw stun grenades and rubber bullets fired to disperse the crowds.
The aid service had given an earlier estimate of 53 people who had been injured.
The clashes took place outside Jerusalem's Old City during what was believed to be the holiest night of Ramadan.
Israeli police had cordoned off areas of the Old City to prevent gatherings and cracked down on protesters in a show of force that threatened to deepen the holy city's worst religious unrest in several years. The police defended their actions as security moves but were by Muslims as provocations.
World powers 'concerned'
The four members of the Middle East Quartet — the US, Russia, the EU, and the UN — expressed "deep concern" over the recent unrest.
Watch video 01:29 Demonstrators in Jerusalem protest hatred, violence
They pointed to "last night's confrontations (Friday) between Palestinians and Israeli security forces at Haram Al-Sharif/Temple Mount."
"We are alarmed by the provocative statements made by some political groups, as well as the launching of rockets and the resumption of incendiary balloons from Gaza towards Israel, and attacks on Palestinian farmland in the West Bank."
"We call upon Israeli authorities to exercise restraint and to avoid measures that would further escalate the situation during this period of Muslim Holy Days," the statement said, insisting that "all leaders have a responsibility to act against extremists and to speak out against all acts of violence and incitement."
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan went so far as to call Israel a "terrorist state," criticizing the country's actions in East Jerusalem.
The "cruel Israel, the terrorist state of Israel" is "brutally and immorally" attacking Muslims in Jerusalem, Erdogan said on Saturday
evening. "A world that cannot protect Jerusalem and Muslims has betrayed itself."
He called on the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and other international organizations to take action.
More than 200 people have been injured in clashes over the past two days.
Netanyahu defends response
Speaking to a meeting of senior security officials, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the police.
"Israel is acting responsibly to ensure respect for law and order in Jerusalem while allowing freedom of worship," he said.
Police Commissioner Yaakov Shabtai said extra officers had been deployed in Jerusalem on Saturday to "enable freedom of worship and maintain order and security."
"At the same time, we will not allow violent riots, lawbreaking, or the harming of police officers. We ask everyone to calm the spirits and violence, particularly on such an important day for the Muslim religion," Shabtai said in a statement.
Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state. Israel claims the entire city as its eternal, indivisible capital.
Its annexation of the eastern section was not recognized internationally.
A long-running dispute between Palestinians and Israeli settlers in Shaikh Jarrah is set to be heard by the Israeli supreme court on Monday.
The League of Arab States has urged the international community to intervene to prevent any forced evictions.
jf/aw (AFP, Reuters)
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