Israeli police, Palestinians clash at Jerusalem holy site

JERUSALEM — Israeli police and Palestinian youths clashed once more at a serious Jerusalem holy web site sacred to Jews and Muslims on Friday regardless of a brief halt to Jewish visits to the location, that are seen as a provocation by the Palestinians.

Palestinians and Israeli police have often clashed on the web site for the final week at a time of heightened tensions within the area following a string of lethal assaults inside Israel and arrest raids within the occupied West Financial institution. Three rockets have been fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel.

Palestinian youths hurled stones towards police at a gate main into the compound, in accordance with two Palestinian witnesses who spoke on situation of anonymity out of safety considerations. The police, in full riot gear, then entered the compound, firing rubber bullets and stun grenades.

The Palestinian Crimson Crescent medical service stated 9 Palestinians had been wounded, two of them severely.

The Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem’s Outdated Metropolis is the third holiest web site in Islam. The sprawling esplanade on which it’s constructed is the holiest web site for Jews, who seek advice from it because the Temple Mount as a result of it was the placement of two Jewish temples in antiquity. It lies on the coronary heart of the Israeli-Palestinian battle and clashes there have usually ignited violence elsewhere.

Tens of 1000’s of Muslim worshippers are anticipated on the web site later within the day for the primary weekly prayers.

Palestinians and neighboring Jordan, the custodian of the location, accuse Israel of violating longstanding preparations by permitting more and more giant numbers of Jews to go to the location underneath police escort.

A longstanding prohibition on Jews praying on the web site has eroded lately, fueling fears amongst Palestinians that Israel plans to take over the location or partition it.

Israel says it stays dedicated to the established order and blames the violence on incitement by the Islamic militant group Hamas, which guidelines Gaza. It says its safety forces are performing to thwart rock-throwers so as to guarantee freedom of worship for Jews and Muslims.

Visits by Jewish teams had been halted starting Friday for the final 10 days of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, as they’ve been up to now.

This yr, the fasting month coincided with the Jewish Passover and main Christian holidays, with tens of 1000’s of individuals from all three faiths flocking to the Outdated Metropolis after the lifting of most coronavirus restrictions.