Six people were reported injured after Israeli forces clashed with Palestinians a second day on Wednesday at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque, hours after more than 350 people were arrested and removed in a police raid at the compound and despite a U.S. appeal to ease tensions.
As per a report by news agency Reuters, the confrontations — during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and on the eve of the week-long Jewish Passover holiday — triggered cross-border exchange of fire in Gaza and stoked fears of further violence.
The police entered the Al-Aqsa mosque compound for the second night and “tried to evacuate worshippers, using stun grenades and firing rubber bullets”, said staff of the Waqf, the Jordanian-appointed Islamic organisation managing the complex, quoted by the news agency.
The worshipper threw objects at the police, the witnesses were quoted as saying and the Palestinian Red Crescent said that six people were injured.
According to the police, dozens of youngsters brought rocks and firecrackers into the mosque and had tried to barricade themselves inside. The Waqf, however, said police entered the mosque before prayers were over.
Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said: “Israel’s raid into Al-Aqsa mosque, its assault on worshippers, is a slap to recent U.S. efforts which tried to create calm and stability during the month of Ramadan.”
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The second instance of violence comes in less than 24 hours when police raided the mosque to try to remove what they said were masked agitators who locked themselves inside after attempts to remove them by dialogue failed.
According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, 12 people were injured in the clash earlier including from rubber-tipped bullets and beatings. Israeli police said two officers were injured.