Israeli forces and Palestinian rioters clashed at the al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount yet again on Thursday morning, Israel Police reported.
Dozens of rioters threw stones and fired fireworks at police after the early morning Fajr prayer, police said. The rioters were also reportedly barricading themselves in the mosques.
Police said that while they allow the public freedom of worship all the time, lawbreakers had disrupted order and were desecrating the mosque. As the riots commenced, hundreds of Jewish worshippers arrived at the holy site, Ynet reported.Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh warned Israel against allowing Israelis to enter the Temple Mount compound, Ynet reported. "I say to Israel that if it thinks that the breaking into of al-Aqsa will change it's Islamic character, Israel is under a delusion. What the settlers are doing in the mosque will push toward conflict and confrontation. Like we caused a defeat regarding what is called the "Flag March," so will we defeat the policy of break-ins. We are still at the beginning of the campaign," said Haniyeh.
شاهد| قوات الاحتلال تطلق قنابل الغاز والصوت تجاه المعتكفين في المصلى القبلي بالمسجد الأقصى المبارك pic.twitter.com/1PPkNQOU5Q
— وكالة شهاب للأنباء (@ShehabAgency) April 21, 2022
Videos circulating on social media show security forces using riot control measures, such as stun grenades and tear gas, inside the mosque after rioters reportedly threw stones and firecrackers toward forces guarding the Temple Mount. Palestinian media reported that one person was struck in the face with a rubber bullet.
بالقنابل والرصاص... هكذا اقتحمت قوات الاحتلال الإسرائيلي باحات المسجد الأقصى المبارك اليوم pic.twitter.com/xp05BmDjG9
— غزة الآن - Gaza Now #عاجل (@GazaNownews) April 21, 2022
Clashes broke out in east Jerusalem between Arabs and Jews on Wednesday just hours after police stopped a flag march organized by right-wing activists from reaching the Damascus Gate.Police said that on Wednesday night rioters threw firebombs on the Temple Mount, almost causing a fire in a mosque. Police arrested 7 suspects for involvement in the incident.
In Sheikh Jarrah, Jews and Arabs clashed near the light rail, with a video showing Jews throwing objects and water on Arabs who were riding on the light rail. According to the Jerusalem Red Crescent, at least one person was injured after being hit and sprayed with pepper spray.
#شاهد| مستوطنون يهاجمون فلسطينيين في القطار الخفيف بمدينة القدس، قبل قليل. pic.twitter.com/J88fGyvDMN
— وكالة شهاب للأنباء (@ShehabAgency) April 20, 2022
In the Muslim Quarter, Jews carrying Israeli flags confronted Israeli security forces while Arab children threw stones at them.
#شاهد| اندلاع مواجهات عنيفة بين مستوطنين وشرطة الاحتلال داخل البلدة القديمة، والمستوطنون يفشلون مجدداً بالوصول لمنطقة باب العامود بالقدس المحتلة. pic.twitter.com/TmK4bHvBYB
— وكالة شهاب للأنباء (@ShehabAgency) April 20, 2022
Video from a separate incident in the Old City also showed Jews and Israeli soldiers running and coughing, allegedly after pepper spray was sprayed. The background of that incident is as of yet unclear.
شاهد| مصادر صحفية: "هروب المستوطنين وجنود الاحتلال بعد رش غاز الفلفل داخل البلدة القديمة في القدس".#فلسطين pic.twitter.com/8lo2OflSH7
— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) April 20, 2022
Right-wing activists also attacked an Arab restaurant owner in the Old City on Wednesday evening.
MK Itamar Ben Gvir (Religious Zionists), who was denied entry to Damascus Gate on Wednesday, penned a letter to Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara on Thursday demanding clarifications regarding the legality of the directive, which was given by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.
He claimed in the letter that he only heard about the decision two hours before the march was scheduled to begin and was not given enough time to appeal. He also argued that the decision was made based on political considerations and not security ones and that it was illegal since MKs' movements may only be restricted for security reasons according to the law.
He also argued that the decision to bar his entry needed to be approved by both the Prime Minister and Defense Minister and that because Bennett alone issued the restriction, the decision was invalid.
Tal Spungin and Eliav Breuer contributed to this report.