Ramallah: Thousands of Palestinians gathered at occupied Jerusalem’s Al Haram Al Sharif on Wednesday to defend it from Jewish assaults, leading to clashes with occupation forces, which led to the closure of Al Maghariba (Moroccan) gate.
The closure prevented the entry of colonists who had arrived at Al Haram Al Sharif in their thousands to perform Jewish prayers and rituals in Al Aqsa Mosque.
The Israeli regime’s Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch threatened on Tuesday to close the area entirely if Muslims continued protesting Jewish incursions.
“We want [Al Haram Al Sharif] to stay open for Muslims and Jews, but if Jews can’t go there, neither can Muslims,” the minister was quoted as saying by military radio.
Palestinian Knesset member Jamal Zahalka, from the Balad party, said he feared “tens of thousands” of Jewish pilgrims would be allowed inside Al Haram Al Sharif.
“This is no longer just a group of extremists, this is a demand made by the Israeli political class and even the [state] rabbinate,” he said.
Sources in occupied East Jerusalem told Gulf News that the Israeli security forces had sealed off all gates to the Old City, which houses Al Haram Al Sharif and denied access to all Palestinians — including those working and studying at Al Haram Al Sharif.
Al Haram Al Sharif is where Al Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock lie.
From the early hours of the morning, buses loaded with Palestinians from occupied Jerusalem and 1948 areas arrived at Al Haram Al Sharif to prevent Jewish colonists from performing their rituals inside to mark the Jewish festival of Sukkot.
Jews are traditionally barred from praying in Al Aqsa Mosque, and do so instead at Al Buraq Wall.
Palestinian sources claimed that in a provocative measure that offended Muslim sentiment, Israeli security forces opened the Moroccan gate early at 7.30am for Jewish colonists. A large number of Palestinians on the scene including Islamic leaders, Palestinian members of the Israeli Knesset and senior Palestinian officials from the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, demonstrated at the various sealed gates of the Old City.
The sources said fierce clashes erupted at the Hatta gate, Bab Al Amoud, Al Sahirah and Al Asbat gate.
Dozens of Palestinians were wounded and hospitalised, while at least ten other Palestinians were arrested by the Israeli forces.
Despite the heavy Israeli deployment around Al Haram Al Sharif, the Israeli security forces were forced to suspend the visits of the colonists two-and-a-half hours later.
At Al Asbat gate, Palestinians managed to break the siege by Israeli regime forces, allowing dozens to confront them from the inside and thereby force the suspension of visits by the colonists.
‘Tough week’
By 10am, the Israeli forces opened some of the gates to the Old City and allowed only women and elderly men into Al Haram Al Sharif.
Fakhri Abu Diyab, a member of the Higher Committee in Defence of [occupied] Jerusalem, anticipated Thursday would be yet another day of serious confrontation with the Israeli security forces. “Clashes will spread inside Al Haram Al Sharif and around it with more Palestinians arriving at Al Haram Al Sharif to defend it,” he told Gulf News. “It has been an extremely tough week for Al Haram Al Sharif and all the Palestinians who have arrived from various parts of historic Palestine in support and defence of Al Haram Al Sharif.”
Even after Palestinians entered Al Haram Al Sharif, Israeli security forces let off tear gas grenades on Palestinians praying in Al Qebli Mosque after several soldiers climbed onto the building’s roof. The Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs announced that by climbing the roof, the Israelis had crossed a red line. “Defending Al Haram Al Sharif under the current circumstances becomes beyond the capabilities of the ministry,” said the ministry in a statement.
— With inputs from AFP
