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Monday, May 10, 2021

Jerusalem March Ahead Of Al-Aqsa Mosque

More than 275 Palestinians have been reported injured in clashes with Israeli police on the grounds of Al-Aqsa Mosque ahead of a planned march by Jewish nationalists in Jerusalem.

During the clashes, the Israeli police fired Stan Grenade on protesters, while Palestinians were fired on police officers.

More violent clashes are being feared on Monday during the annual "Jerusalem Day Flag March" and Israeli police have decided not to allow Jews to enter the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound during the march.

Reuters quoted the Palestinian Red Crescent as saying that more than 200 Palestinians injured in the latest clashes had to be hospitalized and many were in critical condition.

Israeli police say 12 of their officers were among the wounded.

'Powder cage is burning and it can explode at any time'

Amos Guild, a former Israeli Defense Ministry official, also called for the march to be canceled or reversed, saying in a statement to Army Radio that "the powder keg is burning and he It could explode at any time.

The Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site for Muslims, and its vicinity have been the scene of violent clashes during the month of Ramadan. Here is the worst violence since 2017. According to the Red Crescent, more than 300 Palestinians were injured between Friday and Saturday night

Monday's clashes are a continuation of the violence that has been going on for several days in the Sheikh Jarrah area of   East Jerusalem. Palestinian families living in Sheikh Jarrah are facing forced evictions by Jewish settlers and that is why the situation in the area is tense.

The Israeli Supreme Court was due to hear on Monday an appeal by more than 70 people against an eviction order in favor of a Jewish settlement organization in Sheikh Jarrah, but the hearing has been postponed due to fresh clashes.

The UN Security Council is also discussing the situation at its meeting on Monday.

The ceremony commemorates Israel's occupation of East Jerusalem in 1967 during the Arab-Israeli War. On this day, hundreds of young Israelis, usually waving flags and singing national anthems, turn to the ancient Muslim majority in Jerusalem, while many Palestinians call it a deliberate provocation.

What happened in the recent clashes?

Hundreds of Palestinians hurled bricks and stones at Israeli security forces as Israeli security forces fired grenades, tear gas shells and rubber bullets to disperse protesters, according to AFP. ۔ Dozens of people were injured, according to AFP.

In a statement, Israeli police said security forces were "working to curb growing activity in other parts of the old city and the violence at Temple Mount."

This is the third day of violence in the city since Monday's clashes.

Palestinians pelted Israeli police with stones at Sheikh Jarrah on Sunday, while officers responded with stun grenades and water cannons. More clashes are reported near the gates of the ancient city of Damascus.

Palestinian medics say several protesters were injured.

Clashes between Palestinians and Israeli forces have also been reported near the northern Israeli city of Haifa and the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday defended police action against Palestinian protesters, saying his government would "not allow any radical elements to disturb the peace of the city."

Jordan, the custodian of Muslim holy sites in East Jerusalem and a neighboring country, has condemned the actions of Israeli security forces.

The United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations, which are holding talks in the Middle East, have also expressed concern over the violence and called for restraint on all sides.

The UN Security Council will consider the matter on Monday. About two-thirds of the council's 15 member states have requested a special session, diplomats said.

What is fueling the violence?

Tensions have been rising since the start of Ramadan in mid-April, with a series of unrest.

With the start of Ramadan, clashes broke out at night between Palestinians and police protesting against security barriers outside the Damascus Gate because they were unable to gather there in the evening.

An extremist nationalist Jewish march near the same area has fueled anger.

The demonstration was the result of a video circulating on social media showing Palestinians attacking conservative Jews in the city and then attacking Palestinians by Jewish extremists.

The fate of East Jerusalem is at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Both sides have claimed their rights.

Israel has occupied East Jerusalem since the Six-Day War in 1967, but Israel's move has not been recognized by the majority of the international community, and UN resolutions have declared it illegal. However, Israel calls the entire city its capital.

The Palestinians, on the other hand, claim that East Jerusalem is the future capital of their "expected independent state."

Reaction on social media

Since the beginning of these incidents, comments have been made on social media and these incidents have been mentioned in the hashtag trends.

Representatives of reputable media outlets currently in Jerusalem are also sharing photos and videos.

Al Jazeera's Rania Zbanaha shared a video in which she said that according to local sources, Israeli authorities fired tear gas and stun grenades, injuring dozens of people at Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Elizabeth Sarkov, a human rights activist, shared the video , saying: "Israeli forces are throwing grenades inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque. It is feared that the violence will escalate as Israel allows far-right Israelis to march on the old city, commemorating the 1967 occupation of East Jerusalem.

Similarly, the British newspaper The Independent's correspondent for the Middle East, Bell Trio, tweeted and shared a video in which it can be seen that a car went out of control and hit a person on the road.

Bell Trevo commented on the video, saying "the situation in Jerusalem is very tense."

The video is said to have been driven by a Jewish man, who lost control of his vehicle after being pelted with stones.

CBS News correspondent Imtiaz Tayyab shared the video and tweeted: "Tragic scenes inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque this morning, where Israeli authorities entered the third holiest site of Islam."

Ovi Sharaf , a journalist for the Israeli newspaper Hartz, also commented in a tweet that on the day of the march by far-right Jews to celebrate "Jerusalem Day" today, US President Joe Biden's national security adviser Jack Sullivan backed Israeli measures. With the help of which "they should take all necessary and appropriate steps so that the celebrations of Jerusalem Day can take place in peace."

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres believes that Israel must exercise restraint and respect the freedom to assemble peacefully."

This was stated by UN spokesman Stephen Dujarric, according to Reuters. Meanwhile, tensions have risen around Al-Aqsa in East Jerusalem.

Guterres made the remarks as Israeli police and Palestinian protesters clashed on Monday morning after last night's clashes.

The clashes come a day before nationalists plan to hold an annual parade in the ancient city waving flags. The parade is aimed at consolidating Israeli claim to the disputed territory.

"The Secretary-General expresses his deep concern over the ongoing violence in Occupied East Jerusalem, as well as the possible evacuation of Palestinian families from their homes," UN spokesman Stephen Dujarric said in a statement.

He called on Israel to end its crackdown and interference.

The Secretary-General has emphasized that the status of holy sites should be maintained and respected.

Overnight clashes have increased the likelihood of further clashes during Israelis' annual Jerusalem Day celebrations. 

Israeli police have allowed the parade, despite tensions between Israel and Palestine and tensions in neighboring Arab countries over efforts by Jewish settlers to evict dozens of Palestinians.

'Israel will not allow anyone to destabilize peace'

Addressing a special cabinet meeting ahead of Israeli Day in Jerusalem, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said "Israel will not allow any extremists to destabilize Jerusalem."

"We will responsibly enforce law and order in a decisive manner," he said. We strongly reject the pressure not to build in Jerusalem. "

The United States has once again expressed serious concerns about the situation. US National Security Adviser Jack Sullivan has telephoned his Israeli counterpart to express his concerns. 

US National Security Adviser Jack Sullivan called on Israel to take appropriate action. This was stated by Emily Horn, spokeswoman for the National Security Council. 

Meanwhile, a senior Hamas official, Saleh Aruri, told Al-Qassa TV that "Israeli occupiers are playing with fire."

According to Palestinian medics, 14 protesters were injured in the clashes on Sunday. Israeli police say 20 police officers have been injured in recent days. 

The Israeli military says Palestinian militants fired four rockets into the Gaza Strip on Sunday night. On Monday morning, Israeli tanks hit several Hamas checkpoints near the border, but no one was reported killed or injured. 

Israel occupied the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, as well as East Jerusalem, in the 1967 war, while the Palestinians want to retake all three territories in addition to making East Jerusalem their capital. 

Egypt and Jordan, the first two countries to sign a peace deal with Israel, have summoned senior Israeli diplomats. 

Jordan's King Abdullah II has condemned Israeli violations and called for an end to provocations. 

At the Vatican, Pope Francis expressed concern over the incidents and called for an end to the clashes. He clarified that violence itself gives rise to violence. 

Meanwhile, after the escalation of tensions, the Israeli Supreme Court has postponed the decision of possible expulsion from Sheikh Jarrah.

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