A siege on Al-Aqsa Mosque and clashes near Al-Silsileh Gate
The Israeli Authorities imposed a siege on Al-Aqsa Mosque last Tuesday in order to secure the settlers’ break-ins. Wadi Hilweh Information Center was informed that the occupation forces closed most of Al-Aqsa Gates except for Hutta, Al-Majles and Al-Silsileh Gates, and prevented women and men under the age of 50 from entering Al-Aqsa. Hundreds of Muslim worshippers performed all prayers on Tuesday at Al-Aqsa Gates due to the siege imposed on the Mosque. Witnesses said that the occupation police evacuated all the Marabouts from the courtyards of Al-Aqsa by force and prevented them from staying inside after the Noon Prayer. The Israeli forces arrested the 30-year old Mohannad Idris who is one of Al-Aqsa guards and witnesses said that the forces assaulted and severely beat him during the arrest; note that the people who tried to defend him including the director of the Mosque were also assaulted and pushed. On Tuesday, 254 extremists broke into Al-Aqsa and most of them practiced their religious ritual during their tour inside its courtyards. The extremists were protected by the occupation police who refused to prevent them or evacuating them from Al-Aqsa claiming that what they are doing is “normal”. In a related matter, clashes using hands broke out between the settlers and Israeli soldiers and the female Marabouts when one settler assaulted a girl while he was exiting the Mosque through Al-Silsileh Gate. A group of settlers who live in the houses they confiscated near Al-Silsileh Gate threw water bottles towards the men and women. Dozens of females confronted the settlers and the Israeli police while being near Al-Silsileh Gate and chanted “God is Great” as well as other chants in support of Al-Aqsa. The females pushed the iron barricades near Al-Silsileh Gate in an attempt to enter Al-Aqsa but the Israeli forces prevented them and assaulted them using batons; note that they tried to arrest one woman. A group of settlers deliberately walked near the women who were chanting “God is Great” in order to provoke them and one settler threw a piece of wood towards them. While another group of settlers were heading towards the “Wailing Wall”, they verbally assaulted and insulted the women in addition to spitting at them but the women responded by continuing to chant “God is Great” and holding their shoes in the settlers’ faces. Heavy Israeli forces arrived at the area and they separated the women from the settlers to protect them. On the other hand, the borders police stopped the 19-year old Nidal Haymooni in Al-Wad Street, searched him and checked his ID and then released him.
من جهة أخرى قام جنود حرس الحدود بإيقاف الشاب نضال الهيموني 19 عاما في شارع الواد وتفتيشه وأحتجازه والتدقيق في هويته ، ثم إخلاء سبيله .
