Pictures… Thwarting the storming of Al-Aqsa and the "flags march” ... Confrontations, arrests and injuries
The city of Jerusalem has not calmed down over the past two days, due to violent confrontations that thwarted the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque and canceled the annual "flags march” in the city's streets, in memory of the so-called "unification of Jerusalem," which is the anniversary of the occupation of the eastern part of the city.
Since Monday dawn, "the 10th of May (28thof Ramadan), mass rallies took place in the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islamic flags and Palestinian flags were raised, and chants were launched to protect Al-Aqsa from settlers, and youths closed several areas in Al-Aqsa with wood and stones. In the eastern region of Al-Aqsa, wooden barriers and stones were placed and pictures of Hamas leaders were placed; this is one of the roads in which the settlers’ groups storming Al-Aqsa sit and perform private prayers.
In front of Dung Gate - where the incursions are carried out into Al-Aqsa - young men set up barriers to prevent settler incursions, and young men sat in front of the occupation officers who were stationed at the gate, and in front of these scenes, the occupation police announced that the settler incursions were canceled today, knowing that the "Temple groups and organizations" had prepared several programs during the past weeks for the incursion of Al-Aqsa on the anniversary of the so-called “occupation of Jerusalem," as it was planned that 2,000 settlers would storm it and perform rituals, prayers and dances in the mosque.
Chants of God is Great were made by worshippers stationed in Al-Aqsa for their victory in preventing settler incursions into Al-Aqsa. About an hour after the decision, the occupation forces stormed the mosque and fired gas and sound grenades, and rubber bullets, randomly beating all those present in Al-Aqsa, and repeated attempts from eight o'clock until noon to completely evacuate its squares,preventing entry or exit from it, and pursuing every person walking in the mosque with beatings, threats, and direct firing of grenades or rubber bullets.
During the siege of Al-Aqsa and the continuous suppression, clashes erupted at its gates from the outside, and the forces suppressed those present with beatings and grenades and tried to evacuate the vicinity of Al-Aqsa by force.
In the afternoon hours, it was announced that the annual "flags march” in the area of Damascus Gate would be canceled due to protests and confrontations in the area between the forces and the young men, noting that this march is organized annually and tens of thousands of settlers participate in it "from all settlements in the Palestinian territories." They raise the Israeli flags and form dance and singing circles to provoke the Palestinians, as they attack them and their property, usually from the western to eastern streets of the city with a path from Damascus Gate and al-Wad Street to celebrations in al-Buraq Square, or by a path from Sultan Suleiman Street, Herods Gate and Lions Gate and Dung Gate; i.e. “around the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem,” all the way to Al-Buraq Square.
On Monday evening, Al-Aqsa was re-stormed, and evening prayers and Al-Taraweeh prayers were held, during violent confrontations in its squares, and the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, the Damascus Gate area, and the town of Silwan witnessed confrontations and repression.
On Tuesday evening, after the end of Al-Taraweeh prayers, the occupation forces stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque, and clashes erupted in its squares, during the launch of a march in support of it, and the occupation forces evacuated the mosque by force.
The occupation forces also suppressed those present in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, and tried to evacuate the vicinity of the houses threatened with eviction by force, and the occupation forces suppressed those present in the area of Damascus Gate, and attacked the people present, and pursued them with rubber bullets and grenades.
The neighborhoods of Al-Sowaneh, Ein Al-Lozeh-Silwan and the village of Issawiya witnessed violent confrontations. In Al-Sowaneh, the Musta’ribeen unit (undercover police) stormed the area and arrested a young man and fired bullets while beating him.
Injuries
On Monday, the Red Crescent announced that its crews dealt with 612 injuries during clashes in Al-Aqsa and its surroundings, transporting more than 411 injuries to Al-Maqased, French and Augusta Victoria hospitals, as well as Al-Hilal Field Hospital, and among themwere 7 serious injuries. Also members of the Red Crescent were injured while on duty.
On Tuesday, the Red Crescent announced that its crews have dealt with 95 injuries.
Arrests
During the past two days, the occupation forces have arrested - according to preliminary statistics - more than 40 Palestinians from Jerusalem.
