Closing Al-Aqsa Mosque…arrests…assaults
The occupation authorities imposed a strict siege on the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Tuesday, closing its gates and emptying it completely after fire broke out in the police station inside Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Wadi Hilweh Information Center said that fire broke out inside Lions Gate police station. The soldiers fired live bullets at one of the worshipers, and completely closed the perimeter of the police station.
Witnesses of the worshipers said that the occupation forces stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque in large numbers and closed its gates, and then stormed the Dome of the Rock by force and executed arrests against young men and women.
The witnesses added that the occupation forces severely beat all those present in Al-Aqsa, including the employees of the Islamic Awqaf department and the worshipers of men, women, and the youth, and then forcibly evicted it and began to search some rooms, offices and mosques.
"We tried to stay inside the Dome but the police stormed it twice and threatened to use force," said acting judge Sheikh Wasef Bakri.
The occupation forces arrested a number of worshipers, and they were transferred to the police stations of Al-Qishla and Al-Maskobyeh.
The occupation forces closed the Old City of Jerusalem, and assaulted and beat the citizens. Hundreds of schoolchildren were prevented from returning to their homes because of the closures.
The worshipers performed the Afternoon prayer on the thresholds of Al-Aqsa, on the gates of the mosque and the Old City of Jerusalem, because of the siege imposed on the mosque.
The Israeli occupation forces prevented dozens of people from entering a funeral into Lions Gate, and severely beat the mourners and arrested some of them.
