Protests in Israel: around 150 injured on the Temple Mount

For the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, tens of thousands of tourists are in Jerusalem again, and a large procession is planned.

But already on Friday morning there were riots. Security forces use tear gas.

More than 150 people have been injured in violent clashes between Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli security forces on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. As the Palestinian Red Crescent reported, 90 people were taken to hospitals. Dozens of injured people would still be treated at the site. Eyewitnesses and an AFP photographer reported Palestinians throwing stones at Israeli security forces. They fired rubber bullets at some Palestinian demonstrators.

According to the police, after the end of the morning prayers, there was a violent clash on the Temple Mount near the Al-Aqsa Mosque, in which rioters threw stones and fired firecrackers. The Israeli police spoke of three injured in their ranks.

Around 4 a.m., “dozens of masked young rioters,” some of whom carried flags from the armed Islamist Hamas movement, began a “procession” on the Temple Mount. They threw stones at the adjacent Western Wall, Judaism’s most important place of worship, whereupon the Israeli security forces said they intervened to “restore order”.

Procession should take place despite the wave of terror

Tens of thousands of Muslims were expected in Jerusalem’s Old City for Friday prayers to pray on and around the Temple Mount (Al-Haram al-Sharif) during the Muslim month of fasting, Ramadan. The Jewish Passover festival, which will also attract believers and visitors, also begins on Friday evening. The Ministry of Tourism expects a total of 30,000 foreign tourists this week alone. Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site in Islam.

In addition, despite a bloody wave of terror in Israel, thousands of Christians want to reenact Jesus’ Way of the Cross in Jerusalem on Good Friday. For the first time in three years, tourists and pilgrims from abroad can take part in the celebrations. Because of the corona pandemic, Israel closed its borders to visitors more than two years ago – and has only been allowing unvaccinated tourists to enter the country since March.

Massive police presence in the old town

A massive police presence is expected, especially in the old town. The security situation in Israel and the Palestinian territories is extremely tense: 14 people have been killed in four attacks in Israel in the past few weeks.

The attackers in two attacks were Israeli Arabs with ties to the Islamic State (IS) terrorist organization. In the other two attacks, the attackers were Palestinians from the occupied West Bank. Just last week, a Palestinian shot dead three people in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv.

Israel fears more violence during Ramadan, which began earlier this month. Several Palestinians have been killed in military operations in the West Bank, in clashes with the army, but also in their own attacks.