12 Palestinians Injured as Israeli Occupation Forces Raid Al-Aqsa

June 27th, 2016

Awake Goy

Israeli occupation forces raided the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem Sunday morning, clashing with worshipers, injuring at least 12 Palestinians and detaining four, as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan entered its final ten holiest days.

AL-Aqsa mosque The Palestinian Red Crescent said Israeli forces fired rubber-coated steel bullets and tear gas canisters at a group of worshipers, and also hit them with batons. Five Palestinians were taken to the al-Maqasid Hospital in occupied East Jerusalem for treatment.

Witnesses said Israeli forces toured the Al-Qabli mosque in the compound in the early morning, before opening the Moroccan Gate to allow a group of ultra-religious Jewish Israelis to enter the complex, which caused clashes between Palestinian worshipers and Israeli forces.

Al-Aqsa Compound Director Sheikh Omar al-Kiswani told Ma’an that 12 worshipers were injured with rubber-coated steel bullets, three in the head and the rest in the back and lower extremities.

Al-Kiswani condemned the raids and targeting of worshipers during this period, and held Israeli police responsible for what happened.

Sheikh Azzam al-Khatib, director of the Islamic Endowment (Waqf) at Al-Aqsa, told Ma’an that Israeli authorities were trying to impose a new status quo at Al-Aqsa by allowing Israelis to enter the compound in the last ten days of Ramadan, during which time some Muslims stay at Al-Aqsa to pray for long periods of time.

He added that Israeli police insisted on allowing Israelis and tourists into the mosque today, which provoked worshipers.

Israeli police spokesperson Micky Rosenfeld confirmed that four Palestinians were arrested inside the Al-Aqsa compound Sunday for “causing disturbances,” adding that after the arrests the tour for the group of Israelis “carried on as normal.”