More than 150 Palestinians were injured after violence erupted at the holy Al-Asqa mosque in Jerusalem as Israeli forces raided its compound on Friday.
According to the Islamic endowment that runs the mosque, Israeli police entered forcefully into the mosque on Friday morning. At that time, thousands of people had gathered there for offering early morning prayers. This resulted in the most serious violence at the site in nearly a year.
In videos that are being circulated online, Isreal’s police were seen firing stun grenades and tear gas while Palestinians were captured pelting stones at the police. Many people were also seen barricading themselves inside the mosque.
The Palestinian Red Crescent emergency services have claimed that most of the injured were evacuated from the state and were rushed to the hospital. It further said that the Israeli police forces hindered the entry of paramedics and ambulances at the site due to which many injured were not able to reach the hospital.
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Meanwhile, Israeli police have claimed that they had arrested at least 300 Palestinians. Police said that at least three police officers sustained injuries due to massive stone-pelting.
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The police, entered the mosque to disperse the violent crowd during the conclusion of the morning prayers. Police said that they took this step after a group of Palestinians started to pelt stones at the nearby prayer space of the Jews.
However, one of the eyewitnesses claimed that Israeli police were brutally attacking the mosque’s staff, common people, youngsters and even the paramedics.
This incident has triggered outrage and Palestine and Jordan in a joint statement have accused Isreal of instigating violence.
The mosque was later opened for midday prayer and around 60,000 people offered their prayers.
Minister of Public Security, Isreal, Omer Barlev said that Isreal’s police were forced to take action after a group of miscreants pelted stones at them. He said that Isreal does not have any interest in violence at the site.
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