For hours on Friday morning, Palestinians and Israeli soldiers battled in and around the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City, before an uneasy quiet restored later in the day.
From before morning, videos published on social media showed major turmoil and violence near the mosque’s gate, with Palestinians throwing stones and firecrackers and Israeli security forces firing stun grenades and tear gas.
There were also early skirmishes at the Old City’s Lions’ Gate entrance.
More than 150 individuals had been rushed to hospital by mid-morning, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent, with injuries from rubber bullets and stun grenades, as well as wounds from police beatings.
Rami Khatib, a cameraman, was among those injured, with a shattered hand. He is shown on video being stomped and abused by cops.
Earlier, police published surveillance video showing masked individuals breaking pebbles and collecting them in black buckets overnight, presumably in preparation for fights.
Several cops were brought to hospitals after being injured by rocks, according to police.
As indicated by multiple social media footage, Israeli police stormed the mosque approximately 9:30 a.m. after initial skirmishes on the premises and at the mosque’s entrances.
Hundreds of police officers stood over worshipers who were seen laying on the ground, apparently arrested.
In other footage, significant smoke can be seen within the mosque, as well as the sound of firecrackers and stun grenades.
Israeli police stated they arrested more than 300 people inside the mosque, but they insisted they were only there because those hurling rocks were endangering worshipers’ safety.
Police momentarily barred people from entering the Old City through the Damascus Gate, one of the primary gateways for Muslims on their route to the al-Aqsa mosque. Previously, police would let elderly men and women to enter the mosque enclosure but would not allow young males to join them.
Israeli police said in a statement that violence erupted at 4 a.m. local time Friday (9 p.m. ET Thursday) when “dozens of young Palestinian lawbreakers, some with heads covered, began to march around Temple Mount, waving Hamas and Palestinian Authority flags, letting off fireworks, and throwing stones.” “The riots this morning on the Temple Mount are reprehensible and go against the spirit of the religions we believe in,” Israel’s Foreign Minister, Yair Lapid, said, praising security personnel for acting with compassion and resolve.
While emotions between Israel and the West Bank have been high in recent weeks as a result of a series of violent assaults and occurrences, Jerusalem has remained peaceful. However, following remarks made by both Jewish extremists and Palestinian terrorist organisations in the previous week, fears of imminent violence in the city have grown.
