Clashes at a Jerusalem holy site between Israeli police and Palestinian demonstrators have left 17 people wounded in a bout of Easter Sunday violence.
Just two days after unrest at the same site, Israeli police entered the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City today to secure the way for Jewish visitors after they say Palestinians ‘defiled and desecrated’ the Al-Aqsa mosque, while Palestinian officials accused Israel of trying to divide the sensitive holy site.
This year the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Christian holy week culminating in Easter Sunday and the week-long Jewish Passover are all happening at the same time, with tens of thousands of visitors flocking to the city after coronavirus restrictions have been mostly lifted.
‘What happened in Al-Aqsa mosque is a dangerous escalation, the repercussions of which are to be borne by the Israeli government alone,’ said Nabil Abu Rdeneh, spokesman for Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas.
Police said they entered the compound to facilitate the routine visit of Jews to the holy site, and found that Palestinians had stockpiled stones and set up barriers in anticipation of violence.
They cleared Palestinians out of the wide open area outside the mosque itself early Sunday, while dozens of Palestinians remained inside the building chanting ‘God is Greatest.’
Video released by police showed small groups of youths throwing stones at buses outside the Old City, as well as fireworks being fired from inside the mosque.
Paramedics said five people riding in buses received treatment for minor injuries in the attacks.
Police released a video showing a crowd of youths pelting a passing bus with stones just outside the Old City.
Another video from the police, taken inside one of the buses, showed Jewish families sitting on the floor of the vehicle as it continued on its way.
The Palestinian Red Crescent medical service said 17 Palestinians were wounded, including the five on the bus who were hospitalized.
Israeli police reported nine arrests and by midday witnesses said police had moved out of the compound.
The hilltop compound housing the mosque is the third-holiest site in Islam, while it is the holiest place for Jews, who refer to it as the Temple Mount.
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