Israeli police enter Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa mosque to drive out Palestinian

Clashes have broken out between Israeli police and a group of Palestinian worshipers after the regime’s forces stormed the holy al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the Israeli-occupied Old City of al-Quds (Jerusalem).

Micky Rosenfeld said police received prior warnings that masked Arab youths were barricading themselves inside the al-Aqsa Mosque armed with rocks and fire bombs. In response, the Palestinians threw stones at the Israeli soldiers in an effort to prevent them from storming into the complex.

Palestinians were angered by what they considered impositions by Jews.

An AFP journalist said police responded with stun grenades.

The Palestinian foreign ministry condemned Israeli authorities for allowing what they described as “provocative” visits by hardline Jews.

The Times of Israel newspaper reported that tensions were high between the Muslim and Jewish communities after a video emerged over the weekend of a Jewish woman insulting Islam’s Prophet Muhammad.

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. “The entire area [a total of 144 dunums of land] is the sacred Al Aqsa mosque”, he said.

Earlier in the day, Israelis broke into the al-Aqsa compound and got engaged in violent clashes with Palestinians. Non-Muslims are allowed to visit the site in guided tours, but not to pray. “Everybody is ready to die”. When told to remove them, the man resisted and grabbed hold of railings, biting a policeman who tried to remove him before he was arrested.

“About 25 Palestinians were injured by rubber bullets, while at least 45 others suffered teargas inhalation”, Al-Khatib added.

After Israeli police entered the mosque in November, Jordan, which is responsible for administering the compound, recalled its ambassador.

Israel regards all of Jerusalem as its indivisible and eternal capital, a claim not recognised internationally.