Day 196: Jerusalem during “Al-Aqsa Flood” Operation
On the 196th day of "Al-Aqsa Flood Operation", the occupation forces prevented dozens of young men from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque to perform Friday prayers, and assaulted them by beating and pushing them, while raids on towns and neighborhoods in the city of Jerusalem continued.
Al-Aqsa... prayers on the streets and sudden repression
50,000 worshipers performed Friday prayers in Al-Aqsa Mosque - according to the Islamic Endowments Department - while forces were deployed at the gates of Al-Aqsa and the roads leading to it.
The Wadi Hilweh-Silwan Information Center explained that the forces were stationed before noon at all the gates of Al-Aqsa and the roads leading to it, and they stopped young men and women, and subjected some to searches, especially their bags and suitcases.
The center added that the forces, coinciding with the Friday sermon and the time of prayer, suddenly prevented the young men from entering Al-Aqsa through Lions Gate- the gate of the Old City and Al-Aqsa - and placed barricades and iron barriers, and pursued the young men and forcibly removed them towards the road to the Yusufiya Cemetery, Bab Al-Rahma, Lions Gate Road, and assaulted them by beating and pushing them, and in Al-Ghazali Square, they prevented the young men present from entering.
The center explained that the young men performed prayers on the streets “where they were prohibited.”
Special forces were also deployed in Al-Aqsa squares among worshipers during prayer and sermons, in a procedure followed by the occupation authorities since the beginning of the war “last October,” with the exception of the days of Ramadan.
Assaults and violations
Before prayer time, and during the arrival to Al-Aqsa through Damascus Gate, the forces deployed in the area, and deliberately stopped young men and boys while they were walking towards Al-Aqsa and subjected them to searches. They also detained some of them inside the checkpoints in the Damascus Gate area.
The forces stopped a young man while he was walking in the place, severely beat him, then arrested him. They also forcibly removed those present and assaulted some by pushing them.
The forces also attacked the Jerusalemite journalist Nadine Ja’far, while working in the Damascus Gate area, leaving her with multiple bruises.
The police present in the Damascus Gate area issued random fines to young men.
Raids
In the evening hours, the forces stormed “Hosh Adileh” in Ras al-Amoud neighborhood in Silwan, and arrested a young woman after storming her home.
The forces set up a checkpoint at the entrance to the village of Umm Tuba, stopping vehicles and checking IDs.
Releases
The court released Professor Nadira Shalhoub-Kevorkian, on bail and on the condition that she appears for investigation when summoned.
The Magistrate Court decided to release Professor Nadira in the morning hours, but the police submitted an appeal against the decision to the District Court, but the latter rejected it.
The police also released the young man, Mohammad Hoshiya, on the condition that he be deported from the Old City for two weeks, after he was arrested from the Damascus Gate area.
