19 Palestinians were injured during yesterday’s clashes with Israeli police in and around the Al-Aqsa mosque in occupied East Jerusalem, and 18 others were arrested two days after similar clashes left more than 150 injured.
Israeli police said: “Hundreds of Palestinian demonstrators, some of them wearing masks, ‘collected stones and stored them’ in preparation for use in clashes before Jewish ‘visits’ to the mosque courtyard began at certain times and under certain conditions. . In a separate follow-up statement, the police said: “They arrested 18 suspects of throwing stones, fireworks and other violent disturbances, as well as attacks on police and civilians.”
The director of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Sheikh Omar Al-Kiswani, described the situation in the mosque, its courtyards and even beyond as “pathetic”. praying and drove them out by force, and the sound wires, that is, the loudspeakers, were cut.” He added: “Several young people were arrested, those present in the Al-Qibli prayer hall were surrounded, and those inside were fired with rubber bullets from the windows that were smashed on Friday.”
The Palestine Red Crescent Ambulance Service confirmed the registration of “19 injured during the clashes that broke out”, explaining that “five injured were taken to hospital”.
Pope Francis of the Vatican has called for “free” entry to Jerusalem’s holy sites on the occasion of Easter Sunday. “We ask for peace for Jerusalem and peace for those who love it, Christians, Jews and Muslims,” he said, calling for “mutual respect for the rights” of all parties.
