Today (Friday), the Israeli occupation army intensified its presence and repositioned soldiers in major Israeli cities and occupied Jerusalem, amid news of the closure of roads leading to Al-Aqsa and the Old City on the third Friday of Ramadan. The Israeli police deployed 2,300 personnel in Jerusalem, and other reinforcements ahead of Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque.
The Israeli police strengthened their presence around Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the occupation forces prevented a number of worshipers from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque at dawn today, and assaulted a number of Palestinians.
The Israeli police deployed heavily in the Old City of Jerusalem at dawn yesterday (Thursday), and prevented those under the age of 40 from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque for Fajr prayer.
And the outcome of matters will depend on the Friday prayers in the Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Old City of Jerusalem, which attracts large numbers of Palestinians. The Temple Mount has been a flashpoint for tensions during Ramadan. And the Israeli forces stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque again, on Wednesday night, and assaulted the worshipers and seclusion in it.
Eyewitnesses confirmed that the Israeli forces attacked the worshipers with stun grenades, gas and rubber bullets, adding that the Israeli forces surrounded the Al-Qibli prayer hall and attacked the worshipers in the mosque by beating them with sticks. The events in the occupied territories were met with Arab and international condemnation against the Israeli practices against the Palestinians.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, expressed his shock and astonishment at the level of violence used by the Israeli security forces against Palestinian worshipers inside Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem on Tuesday night.
His spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the Secretary-General was shocked and stunned by the scenes of violence and beatings by the Israeli security forces inside the Al-Qibli Mosque in Jerusalem, which took place during a period sacred to both Jews, Christians and Muslims, a period that should be of peace and not of violence.
Okaz (Jeddah) @okaz_online