Planned Jewish Nationalist March and Chances of Clash

There have been multiple clashes between the Israeli police and the Palestinians in the area of East Jerusalem out the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is some time ahead of the planned Jewish nationalist march. More than three hundred individuals have been injured as the police officers fired rubber bullets and stunned grenades while the unprotected crowds threw bottles and stones in retaliation.

Escalating tensions between Palestinians and Israelis

This had come amid increasingly high tensions across the city, which has observed unrest for the past several weeks. Earlier, the police forces of Israel have decided to bar the Jewish from visiting the compound where the Al-Aqsa Mosque is present during the annual Jerusalem Day Flag March.

This Jewish nationalist march is celebrated to mark the capture of the city of East Jerusalem by Israel, which is the home to the Old City along with its holy sites, in the year 1967. The city usually sees hundreds of Israeli youths who are present for flag-waving and make their way through the areas with Muslim residents via the Damascus Gate while chanting the entire way and singing songs about patriotism.

This Jewish nationalist march is regarded as a deliberately provocative move by the Palestinians. The Jewish nationalist march, which is to be conducted this year, would take place in the final days of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

The Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is the third most holy site in the religion of Islam, is located at the hilltop complex, which is known as the Haram al-Sharif (Noble Sanctuary) by the Muslims. It is known as the Temple Mount by Jews as the site is also the holiest location for them. The Jews revere the Al-Aqsa Mosque as the site for two biblical Temples.

The latest series of Jerusalem violence have followed days of reoccurring clashes between the Israeli police forces and Palestinians in the East Jerusalem district of Sheikh Jarrah. There is a possibility that the Palestinian families residing in the area would be evicted from their homes by the Jewish settlers, which would give a focal point to the anger by Palestinians. The violence has escalated before the start of the Jewish nationalist march.

The Supreme Court of Israel was to hold a hearing on Monday regarding the long-running cases, but due to the increasing unrest throughout the city, the session had been postponed for an indefinite time.

Incident at Al-Aqsa Mosque

The police forces of Israel have said that thousands of Palestinians have been able to barricade themselves inside the building overnight by using Molotov cocktails and stones in anticipation to confront during the Jewish nationalist march, which was scheduled to be conducted at 16:00 local time.

The Israeli police officers have been ordered on the morning of Monday and to enter inside the mosque compound to drive back the Palestinian rioters by using public demonstration dispersal methods. This order has been issued after a police check post was attacked, while stones were thrown at the road located nearby, and to keep the tensions from increasing before the Jewish nationalist march.

For the time of over an hour, the police forces fired rubber bullets, tear gas and stun grenades at the Palestinians, who in turn threw sharp glass bottles and stones at the Israeli police, which occurred few days before the Jewish nationalist march. According to the video footage which had been posted on social media has shown the Palestinians running to find cover and some of the stun grenades launched by the Israeli forces landing inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

During the clashes that are occurring outside the walls of the Old City, a car was pelted using stones before it crashed into the bollards and ended up hitting an individual.

The Red Crescent of Palestine has stated that around 305 Palestinians have been reported to be injured amid the various clashes occurring throughout the city for the past several days, out of which 228 had been taken to a medical facility to get emergency treatment. These events have occurred even before the provocative Jewish nationalist march. Seven of them had been said to be in critical health condition.

According to the Israeli police forces, 21 of their officers had been injured, while three are currently receiving treatment in the hospital. The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, has defended the action of the police forces.

Read also Over 200 Hundred Palestinians Injured In Al-Aqsa Mosque By Israeli Police Attack