Israeli police, Palestinians scuffle at holy site

Police said 24 Jews and 450 tourists visited the site Monday morning.

The fate of the compound in Jerusalem’s Old City is a core issue at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Al Jazeera’s Imtiaz Tyab, reporting from Jerusalem, said clashes continued and tensions “are high” as far-right Jewish groups prepare to enter the mosque compound. Jews are allowed to visit but not pray in the compound, to avoid any perception of change to the status quo which has existed there since 1967, and to avoid an inflammation of tension with Muslims. Jews may also visit during limited hours, but are prohibited from praying or doing a range of things – kneeling, bowing, even crying – that resemble worship. Netanyahu has said repeatedly that he is committed to the status quo there.

Palestinians, however, say the recent Israeli incursions on the mosque, where access has been regularly restricted to Muslims, are unprecedented and are part of an attempt to permanently block access to the holy site.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah movement meanwhile staged a series of protests in the West Bank on Tuesday.

The spokeswoman confirmed that Israeli soldiers used “rubber-coated bullets and 0.22 inch caliber ammunition”, striking seven protesters in “the lower extremities”.

There have been fresh clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians at a disputed holy site in Jerusalem.

According to police, the young protesters had slept overnight at the mosque and also hurled petrol bombs at security forces during the clashes, which caused a small fire at the entrance to the building.

Israel has blamed Palestinian leaders for inciting the unrest.

Qatar yesterday demanded an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian and Arab territories as well as the cessation of all its racist and aggressive acts. Overall, according to Haaretz, three Israeli policemen and 21 Palestinians were injured in the Friday clashes.

The director of Al-Aqsa Mosque, Omar Kiswani, blamed Israeli police for the violence.

The clashes erupted on the first day of the weeklong Jewish holiday of Sukkot, during which Jews were expected to arrive for prayers at the adjacent Wailing Wall.

The Israeli violations were beyond military action, said Ghunaim, adding that the construction of Jewish settlements on Palestinian and Arab lands still continues.

Netanyahu lobbied fiercely against the deal before it was adopted and sharply criticised it in the weeks afterward, but has recently eased off amid criticism at home about damage to Israel’s relations with the United States, its most important ally.