Day 385 Jerusalem during “Al-Aqsa Flood” Operation
On the 385th day of "Al-Aqsa Flood” operation, the occupation authorities continued to impose restrictions on the entry of worshipers to Al-Aqsa Mosque to perform Friday prayers, while carrying out a large-scale arrest campaign in the town of Anata, and continued to raid and set up checkpoints in the streets of Jerusalem.
"Friday Prayers"... Restrictions, Assaults and Prayers on the thresholds of Al-Aqsa
The occupation authorities continued to impose restrictions on the entry of worshipers to Al-Aqsa Mosque to perform Friday prayers and the Friday dawn prayer.
The Wadi Hilweh Information Center - Jerusalem explained that the forces stationed at the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Old City prevented hundreds of young men and boys from entering the Old City and Al-Aqsa Mosque to perform Friday prayers.
The center added that police checkpoints were placed at all the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque and at the gates of the Old City, especially "Lions Gate and its road, 5 checkpoints were placed, Herods Gate, Damascus Gate", and the forces stopped young men coming to Al-Aqsa and prevented them from entering "randomly".
The worshipers explained that the forces placed police barriers at Lions Gate (the cemetery road), the main road, the main intersection, Lions Gate (the Old City), and at al-Ghazali Square, and deployed their forces, who stopped the young men and boys and prevented them from entering. They also prevented them from being present in Lions Gate Square and at its gate, and forcibly removed them.
The forces also pursued the worshipers at the gates and roads of Al-Aqsa, to prevent them from praying, being present, sitting on its thresholds, listening to the sermon through its minarets, and praying.
The forces beat the young men with "sticks and pushing", and directed insults at them.
In the alleys of the Old City, inside the Bab al-Rahma Cemetery, and the main Lions Gate Road, the young men prayed at the closest point they could reach.
The worshipers also explained that the "prevention and assault" measures were taken since the dawn prayer; where the forces deliberately stopped all the worshipers "of all ages" and delayed their entry into Al-Aqsa, then prevented the young men and boys from entering it, and forcibly removed them outside Lions Gate, and they were able to pray on the thresholds of "Lions Gate / Cemetery Road".
Anata Town...A large-scale arrest campaign
After midnight, the occupation forces stormed the town of Anata in large numbers and with different teams. Local sources in the town explained that the forces carried out a wide-scale arrest campaign that included approximately 50 young men from the town. The campaign of raids and arrests continued for about 12 hours; from after midnight until around noon.
Sources in the town added that the forces were deployed in the streets of Anata, at its entrances and the roads leading to it, then carried out a wide-scale campaign of raids on homes, during which a search and destruction of property took place, and field investigations were conducted with families, in addition to arrests and summonses for dozens of young men.
The residents explained that the forces deliberately detained family members or the residents of the building in one room, handcuffed them, and covered their eyes, during which they insulted them and assaulted them by pushing and beating them.
The residents added that the forces stormed a house and used it as a "site" to detain and interrogate the residents.
The residents also added that the forces circulated messages on mobile phones that reached the residents of Anata threatening them with "arrest or killing" if they participated in the confrontations.
