Fresh Clashes Leave Dozens Palestinians Wounded

Palestinians run away from stun grenades thrown by Israeli border police officers during a protest against the metal detectors placed at the entrance to the Al Aqsa Mosque compound.

Jerusaalem, MINA – Dozens of Palestinians were injured Friday as clashes broke out with Israeli police outside Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque, health officials said.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said five were taken to hospital and others were treated at the scene.

Eyewitnesses said Israeli police fired rubber bullets, stun grenades and water cannon to disperse protesters following Friday prayers.

Earlier, thousands of Muslim worshippers gathered in the streets of Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem to pray.

“This is nothing more than an outright lie that Israel is respecting freedom of religion by allowing worshipers into the mosque,” Zidane Johan, a high school teacher in Jerusalem, told Anadolu Agency.

“The Palestinians are just coming for Friday prayers… They are coming with their bare hands because when you come to prayers you don’t have any right to carry any lethal weapon. All the people here are innocent civilians,” he added.

The Jordanian-run Authority for Muslim Endowments and Al-Aqsa Affairs closed all the mosques in East Jerusalem on Friday and called for prayers in front of Al-Aqsa’s gates to protest against the installation of metal detectors at the entrances to the mosque compound.

Police banned men under the age of 50 from entering the mosque and Jerusalem’s Old City.

The measures were authorized by the Israeli Cabinet late Thursday. (T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)