Police and Arab youth clash on Temple Mount ahead of Succot holiday

Clashes broke out between masked Palestinians and Israeli security forces at Jerusalem’s flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound on Sunday, the last day of the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday, police said.

Police have used stun grenades and rubber bullets against the Palestinians, with an Al Jazeera correspondent at the scene reporting: “It doesn’t appear as if the clashes went far beyond the gate where police entered, nor are there reports of any injuries.”

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said Saturday that a joint investigation with the Shin Bet security service led to the arrests of four east Jerusalem residents between the ages of 16 and 19.

Israeli soldiers have attacked and injured dozens of Palestinians in rallies held against Tel Aviv’s military assaults on the al-Aqsa Mosque, which started on September 13.

The al-Aqsa Mosque is Islam’s third holiest site after Masjid al-Haram in Mecca and Masjid al-Nabawi in Medina, Saudi Arabia.

The Mourabitoun were outlawed by Ya’alon along with their female counterparts, the Mourabitat, earlier this month after they were accused of attacking non-Muslim visitors to the Temple Mount and fomenting violent altercations with police. The force pushed back the rioters using anti-riot means.

In recent days, during the Jewish new year of Rosh Hashana, there were clashes which damaged parts of the mosque.

Muslims have expressed anger over visits by Jews to the site and fear rules governing the compound will be changed.

Sunday’s violence occurred just ahead of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, when many Jews visit Jerusalem.