 |
| Jerusalem: Israeli police attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque, 14 Palestinians injured |
At least 14 people were injured during the Israeli police raid on the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
Israeli police claim they raided the mosque before Fajr prayers when "protesters" armed with incendiary materials, sticks, and stones barricaded themselves inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Palestinians say that the Israeli police fired stun grenades and rubber bullets at people in the mosque, injuring 14 people.
Clashes in Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem began when several Palestinian worshipers stopped at the mosque after the Isha prayer during the month of Ramadan.
It should be noted that Palestinian militants had demanded Muslims lock themselves in the mosque to prevent Jews from sacrificing goats for the Passover festival, which begins on Wednesday.
In videos taken inside the mosque, Israeli police can be seen beating Palestinians with batons and tying them to the ground by hand and foot.
A video apparently shows people inside the mosque using fireworks. The Israeli police also claim they were pelted with stones, injuring a policeman.
Palestinian Red Crescent officials say that after the incident, Israeli forces refused to allow the organization's doctors access to the mosque.
The action of the Israeli police has been condemned by Arab countries like Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
A statement from the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "This attack took place in the month of Ramadan and in terms of respect for religious sanctity, such actions violate international norms and values."
After this operation by the Israeli police, at least nine rockets were fired at Israel from the Gaza Strip. The Israeli military says five rockets were destroyed by defense systems, while four "landed in open areas."
No Palestinian group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the militant group Hamas is believed to have approved it.
Saleh al-Aruri, the deputy head of Hamas, has warned that "the attack on the holy places will have to pay a heavy price and we will burn the ground under the feet of these 'Israelis'."
The Israeli military later said its warplanes hit militant positions in Gaza following rocket attacks.
The Al-Aqsa complex, located on top of a hill in Jerusalem, is Judaism's holiest site and Islam's third holiest site. Jews call it Temple Mount while Muslims call it Haram al-Sharif.
Muslims consider the entire compound to be the Al-Aqsa Mosque, but the latest clashes have taken place inside the actual mosque building.
Jews and other non-Muslims are allowed to enter the compound, but they cannot worship there. Palestinians also see Jewish visits to the site as attempts to change the status quo.