ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS/JERUSALEM CLASHES Palestinians, Israeli police clash at Jerusalem's al-Aqsa

Record ID: 146275

  • Title: ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS/JERUSALEM CLASHES Palestinians, Israeli police clash at Jerusalem's al-Aqsa
  • Date: 26th July 2015
  • Summary: JERUSALEM (JULY 26, 2015) (REUTERS) ISRAELI FORCES SCUFFLING WITH PALESTINIAN WORSHIPPERS IN OLD CITY, STUN GRENADE BEING FIRED, PALESTINIANS RUNNING AWAY ISRAELI FORCES PUSHING WOMEN ISRAELI POLICE RUNNING AFTER YOUTHS ISRAELI FORCES PUSHING PEOPLE, WOMEN SCREAMING ISRAELI FORCES DETAINING YOUTH LIGHT WHITE SMOKE SEEN AT AL-AQSA COMPOUND, SEEN FROM MOUNT OF OLIVES PARAMED
  • Embargoed: 10th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Jerusalem
  • City:
  • Country: Israel
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA554YGKPJ2ANAXYSZWGTA50647
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Masked rock-throwing Palestinians and Israeli police using stun grenades clashed on Sunday (July 26) at al-Aqsa mosque plaza, on the annual Jewish day of mourning for two destroyed Biblical temples.
    No serious injuries were reported at Jerusalem's most volatile holy site, in the Israeli-occupied walled Old City, that is revered by Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and by Jews as the Temple Mount where two temples once stood.
    Police used stun grenades to push protesters back into the mosque and stepped inside its entrance way to close its main doors, which a spokeswoman said had been jammed open by rock-throwers.
    Israeli police, following long-standing procedures, do not venture further into the mosque, Islam's third holiest shrine, and violence usually subsides quickly, as it did on Sunday, after Palestinian demonstrators take refuge inside.
    Israeli police said they were there to maintain calm on the Jewish holy day.
    "The israeli police in Jerusalem were prepared ahead of time after mass Palestinians inside the al-Aqsa mosque threw stones, rocks and boulders at police officers at the Mughrabi Gate. Our police unit entered inside the Temple Mount area in order to deal with the disturbances and quickly took control of the situation. As a result, a number of police officers were injured lightly and treated on the scene. In general, our police units are in around the Old City of Jerusalem and at the Western Wall in order to make sure there are no further disturbances on the ninth of Av (Jewish calender's eight month), the fast which is taking place today in Jerusalem," said spokesman, Micky Rosenfeld.
    Violence at the site has flared in the past year as Palestinians have been riled by visits by non-Muslims, including ultranationalist Jews, to the compound.
    Jewish ultranationalists have been pushing the Israeli government to allow Jewish prayer on the compound outside al-Aqsa, which stands above the Western Wall.
    Such worship, certain to stir Muslim anger, has been banned on the plaza by Israel since it captured East Jerusalem, and its Old City, in the 1967 Middle East war.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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