Violent clashes in Jerusalem on Thursday and restrictions on the entrance of Muslim worshippers to Al-Aqsa Mosque on Friday
The Israeli police decided on Thursday to impose restrictions on the entrance of men under the age of 35 to Al-Aqsa Mosque to perform the Friday Noon Prayer. Dozens of Jerusalemites suffocated on Thursday and were injured with rubber bullets and shrapnel of sound grenades during violent clashes that broke out in the city of Jerusalem. Wadi Hilweh Information Center monitored the clashes that started on Thursday morning and lasted all day especially in Shu’fat refugee camp, Ras Al-Amoud, Jabal Al-Mukabber, Esawyeh, Wadi Al-Joz, Al-Tur, Al-Sowaneh and Al-Sa’dyeh neighborhood. Arrests The Israeli forces made several arrests during the clashes. They arrested the Jerusalemites freed prisoner Jamal Ahmad Ibrahim Abu Jamal from his house in the village of Jabal Al-Mukabber and the locals said that a group of Musta’ribeen (undercover police) and Special Forces raided Jamal’s house and assaulted and severely beat him and then arrested him and took him to an unknown location; note that the forces heavily fired tear gas grenades towards the houses. It is noteworthy that Jamal was released ten months ago within the second phase of the “Shalit” deal after spending 19 years inside the Israeli prisons as he was serving a 22-year prison sentence. The forces also arrested the 13-year old Ehab Mohammad Ja’abees and another young man. The forces also arrested four young men from Shu’fat refugee camp during the violent clashes that broke out in the camp. The 24-year old Haitham Abbasi was also arrested in Al-Sa’dyeh neighborhood in addition to three young men from the Old City including Fathi Jaber and Murad Ashhab. Clashes in Jerusalem Shu’fat refugee camp witnessed the most violent clashes that lasted for more than 10 continuous hours; note that clashes have been ongoing in the camp since the announcement of the Martyrdom of Ibrahim Akari. Witnesses and residents of the camp said that the Israeli forces used a new kind of gas grenades on Thursday which cause the body to stiff as a person inhales it. Thaer Fasfoos, spokesman of Fateh Movement in the camp, said that 30 young men were injured with rubber bullets (shoulders, chest and hands) and were all treated immediately. Also, dozens of young men and locals of the camp suffocated and parts of one house that is close by the checkpoint were burnt. Esawyeh A paramedics officer in the Arab Paramedics Union, Fouad Abu Obeid, said that dozens of residents suffocated in the village of Esawyeh and 10 young men were injured with rubber bullets and one house was set on fire due to gas and sound grenades; note that they controlled the fire. The municipality and tax authority confiscated two busses from the “United Busses” and forced all the passengers to leave the busses under the pretext of parking in a prohibited place Al-Sowaneh The Special Forces raided the house of Abu Ishaq Tamimi in Al-Sowaneh and assaulted the residents and severely beat them in addition to firing sound grenades and rubber bullets; Um Ishaq was injured during the raid and she was transferred to the hospital for treatment. Sur Baher, Wadi Al-Joz and Al-Tur The village of Sur Baher, Wadi Al-Joz and Al-Tur witnessed violent clashes between the Israeli forces and the young men where the forces heavily fired sound and tear gas grenades towards the residential houses and narrow alleys. During the day, nearly ten young men were injured in Al-Tur with rubber bullets and dozens suffocated and one house was burnt due to a gas grenade that was fired inside it and the family was transferred to the hospital for treatment. The forces surprisingly used live bullets in Al-Sa’dyeh neighborhood. Targeting schools The Israeli forces also targeted the schools on Thursday and Wadi Hilweh Information Center monitored the targeting of the following schools:
- Al-Amal School for special needs in Esawyeh: Tear gas grenades were fired and dozens suffocated.
- All of Jabal Al-Mukabber Schools were deliberately sprayed with wastewater and dozens suffocated.
- Ras Al-Amoud School: sound grenades and rubber bullets were fired towards the school and the presence of Israeli forces in the Schools’ Street is becoming a daily act which provokes the students as they are stopped and searched.
- Shu’fat “C” School which is close by the Separation Wall: the occurrence of several suffocation cases and one teacher was transferred to the medical center for treatment.
