JERUSALEM: At least 31 Palestinians were injured in clashes with Israeli police at Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem on Friday, the latest outbreak in a recent upsurge of violence at the holy site.
Israeli forces entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem and injured approximately 30 Palestinians, including three journalists. According to the Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance service, 14 Palestinians were taken to the hospital, two with serious injuries.
Israeli police said its forces entered the compound when hundreds of people began hurling rocks and fireworks and drew close to the Western Wall, where Jewish worship was under way.
According to eyewitnesses, police entered the compound after the morning prayers and fired rubber bullets and stun grenades at a crowd of about 200 Palestinians, some of whom were throwing rocks.
A small fire was also reported at the compound, with Palestinians blaming Israeli police for setting a tree alight, while the police said that the fire was the result of Palestinians throwing fireworks.
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Violence at the compound has surged over the past week, raising concerns about a slide back into wider Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Since March, Israeli forces have killed at least 29 Palestinians in West Bank raids, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
In a meeting with a United States State Department delegation on Thursday, the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, said Israel was responsible for the escalation in the occupied East Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank.
Tensions this year have been heightened in part by the Muslim holy month of Ramazan coinciding with the Jewish celebration of Passover, which brings more Muslim and Jewish visitors to the compound.
As in previous years, Israel is halting Jewish visits during the final days of Ramazan starting Friday. Traditionally, Muslim attendance at the compound increases during the final days of the fasting month.
