With pictures: Jerusalemites rise up for Al-Aqsa….arrests and injuries
The Israeli forces arrested 12 Palestinians on Friday during clashes that broke out in several neighbourhoods and villages in Jerusalem. A large Israeli force was deployed in the streets of Jerusalem since the early morning hours and established checkpoints using iron barriers on the entrances of the old city and Al-Aqsa gates; they also prevented men under the age of 50 from entering Al-Aqsa. A young girl who was with her mother was injured by shrapnel of a sound bomb during the clashes that broke out by Lions gate; three other young men from the neighbourhood of Bab Hutta were also injured. Clashes broke out in Wadi Joz, Herod’s gate, Nablus and St. George Streets, Lions gate, Al-Sa’dyeh neighbourhood, Bab Hutta, Ras Al-Amoud, Shu’fat refugee camp and the village of Esawyeh as protests were organized in the streets after the Friday prayer was over. The Israeli forces fired sound bombs and rubber bullets towards the protesters and assaulted many of them using electric shocks especially in Lions gate and Ras Al-Amoud. Lions Gate A peaceful march initiated from Ras Al-Amoud towards Lions Gate. Upon arriving to the area, they were prevented from moving forward by the Calvary unit and the Special Forces fired sound bombs towards them which led to the injury of a girl. Ras Al-Amoud During the violent clashes that broke out in Ras Al-Amoud, the forces arrested three citizens and they are: Mohammad and Yousef Al-Atrash and 40-year old Ibrahim Shweiki who was assaulted by electric shocks. Bab Hutta Three young men were also injured in the neighbourhood of Bab Hutta. They suffered light to moderate injuries in the head, neck and hand; the Israeli forces went on the building’ roofs to monitor the young men. Nablus Street The Musta’ribeen (undercover unit) arrested two young men in Nablus Street after assaulting and severely beating them. Damascus Gate A protest was organized at Damascus gate during which Palestinian flags were raised as well as the Qur’an to confirm the Islamic identity of Al-Aqsa. A peaceful march headed towards Sultan Suleiman Street and they were followed and by Israeli forces and upon arriving at Herod’s gate, they were prevented from moving forward towards Salah Eddin Street and the forces assaulted the participants; they also assaulted Wadi Hilweh Information Center’s photographer, Ahmad Siam, and the policeman used force to prevent him from photographing. Clashes also spread to Al-Rasheed Street. Praying in the streets Despite the Israeli restrictions that were imposed in Jerusalem, hundreds of citizens performed the Friday prayer in the streets of the city as men under the age of 50 were prevented from getting inside Al-Aqsa.
