Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

Aqsa Witnesses Fiercest Tension since Months | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Palestinians climb over a section of the controversial Israeli barrier as they try to make their way to attend the second Friday prayers of Ramadan in Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa mosque, near Ramallah. REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman


Ramallah, Tel Aviv- Al-Aqsa Mosque and its surrounding have turned into a conflict zone on Sunday with outbreak of clashes between worshipers and Israeli occupation forces – these clashes included siege, conflicts, arrests and attempts to raid Al-Qibli Chapel, causing a huge destruction in the building in the fiercest tension witnessed by the mosque since months.

Clashes started when worshipers confronted settlers who insisted on breaking into the mosque in the early morning hours, so the Israeli Police sent a huge special force inside the mosque to arrest worshipers who took the chapel as a shelter.

Director of Aqsa Mosque Sheikh Omar Kiswani said that some 250 Israeli soldiers had allowed Jewish worshipers to enter the mosque to provoke fasting worshipers, in a violation of all international agreements and pledges.

Israeli forces violently beat some young people and also fired rubber-coated steel bullets and tear gas, causing three injuries and cases of suffocation, Kiswani added.

Israeli Police stated that it had detained two worshipers suspected of attacking its members, adding that they would be sent to court to consider extending their arrest duration.

The city residents and sellers said that usually during the last days of Ramadan markets boom but the occupation procedures have paralyzed the city getting prepared to Eid-Al-Fitr.

The High Follow-Up Committee for Arab citizens of Israel denounced the assault on Aqsa Mosque in a statement issued on Sunday.

Munir al-Jaghoub, head of Fatah’s Information Department in the Office of Mobilization and Organization, said that the suffering of residents of Jerusalem show the racist facade of Israel and refute its claims of respecting rights of religious people to access sacred Islamic and Christian sites.