Ramallah: Tens of occupation forces raided the flashpoint Al Aqsa compound on Sunday, clashing with the Palestinian civilian guards and students in occupied Jerusalem’s Old City.

Shaikh Omar Al Kiswani, Director General of Al Aqsa, said the Israeli special forces entered the holy site via Al Magahribah and Al Silsilah gates and locked the compound’s other gates.

“The occupation forces surrounded tens of Palestinian students in Al Qibli Mosque and fired tear gas and rubber coated bullets at them,” he told Gulf News. A civilian guard of the mosque, Amjad Al Alami, received moderate injuries after a rubber bullet hit him in the face, he added.

Other students trapped in Al Qibli Mosque were sprayed with pepper gas and that at least five of them fainted and required medical aid.

Tourists and foreign visitors to the mosque were allowed to enter, but none of the Palestinian Muslims was permitted to enter, which turned the already tense situation ugly.

Shaikh Al Kiswani said that the occupation forces only allowed Palestinian women and the aged after forces had seized their identity cards at the gates.

A man who attempted to enter the mosque was beaten up and the victim from the 1948 areas was taken to a hospital.

Students at the compound and civilian guards who protect the holy site at night were forced to evacuate and a female student was arrested after she refused to leave the site.

Shaikh Al Kiswani said that with the approach of the Jewish Passover, tensions between the Palestinian worshippers and the Israeli colonists have been running high.

Colonists, meanwhile, have put up banners that they will raid Al Aqsa Compound to mark the festival. In response, Palestinians put up counter banners, one of which read “On our dead bodies will we allow you to enter our holy mosque to mark your Passover.”

Mazen Abu Qalbain, a political activist in the occupied East Jerusalem, said that he tried to enter Al Aqsa Mosque, but occupation forces did not allow him although he was more than 65 years.

“Groups of Palestinians from the 1948 areas have arrived at the holy site and wanted to enter but the occupation forces did not allow them,” he told Gulf News.

He said that the Palestinian residents of the occupied East Jerusalem usually coordinate the protection of the holy site with residents of the 1948 areas, who are always willing to come in big numbers to protect Al Aqsa, the third holiest site in Islam.