Jerusalem: Palestinians clashed yesterday with Israeli security forces in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank after Hamas called for a “day of rage” over tensions at Al Aqsa mosque.
In Jerusalem, three policemen were injured as a firebomb struck their van in Jabal Mukaber District and eight Palestinians were arrested, including at least three youth.
Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets as protesters pelted them with stones in neighbourhoods around the Mount of Olives, including Shuafat refugee camp. But the situation was calm in the Old City and at Al Aqsa mosque compound.
Officials said about 3,000 policemen had deployed after three days of violence at the sensitive site during the Jewish new year.
A rocket fired by Palestinian militants in Gaza, controlled by Hamas, struck a parked bus in the southern Israeli town of Sderot without causing casualties, police said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
In the West Bank, skirmishes were more intense than normal for a Friday, which has become a day of protests following Muslim prayers.
At Kafr Kaddum near Nablus, Israeli fire wounded three Palestinians in their arms and legs, said Palestinian Red Crescent (PRC). Youth hurled projectiles at police near Ofer prison, Qalandiya checkpoint and Jalazun refugee camp — flashpoints in the long-running conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
PRC said seven Palestinians were wounded by live fire and 44 by rubber bullets.
Protesters adopted the same slogan everywhere. “By our soul and our blood, we sacrifice ourselves for you Al Aqsa,” chanted hundreds gathered in Nablus and Gaza Strip.
Known to Muslims as Al Haram Al Sharif (Noble Sanctuary), the compound houses the golden Dome of the Rock shrine and Al Aqsa mosque and is the third-holiest site in Islam.
As the location of Judaism’s biblical temples, it is known as the Temple Mount to Jews, allowed to visit but cannot pray to avoid further raising tensions.
Police set up heavily manned checkpoints on streets leading up to the site, before an estimated 8,000-10,000 worshippers prayed, down from the average of 25,000-35,000.
“It’s a frontline,” said Mazen Shawish, 52. “You have to go though 20 military checkpoints to get to the mosque.” Hundreds of young men denied entry prayed outside the Old City walls.
Police said they had an intelligence warning that Arab youth were planning fresh confrontations and decided to keep them away by limiting the age of worshippers to 40 and above for men.
In Jordan, thousands of protesters rallied in the capital Amman and other cities to denounced Israeli “violence” at Al Aqsa.
Israeli authorities fear further trouble ahead when Eid Al Adha coincides on Wednesday with the Jewish fast of Yom Kippur. And Jews begin their seven-day Sukkot festival the following week, one of the holidays when more Israelis than usual are likely to visit the compound.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to UN chief Ban Ki-moon and said the Jewish state “is strictly maintaining the status quo”.
Netanyahu has publicly “declared war” on those who throw rocks and petrol bombs, especially after an Israeli motorist died last Sunday, apparently as a result of Palestinian stone-throwing, police said. One proposal is to let snipers with low-velocity rifles operate against stone-throwers in Jerusalem, as they do in the West Bank.
Israel’s parliament said yesterday its foreign affairs and defence committee authorised a call-up of reservists from the paramilitary border police “in response to the deteriorating security situation in Jerusalem” but gave no details.
AFP
