Abdul Rahim Hussein, Agencies (Ramallah, Jerusalem)
The Israeli army stormed again the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque in the city of Jerusalem, and closed the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron on the occasion of the “Jewish Passover,” while 15 Palestinians were arrested in different cities in the West Bank. The Iron Dome missile defense system intercepted a missile fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israel.
Yesterday, the Israeli army renewed its storming of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque to secure the settlers’ storming on the “Jewish Passover” holiday.
The Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs said in a statement that “the Israeli army stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque in large numbers in an attempt to remove the worshipers from its courtyards in preparation for the settlers’ incursions.
She added that “the settlers spread out in the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque, performed religious rituals and carried out provocative tours in its courtyards,” noting that the Israeli forces prevented young men under the age of 25 from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque, and closed Al-Wad Street in the Old City in conjunction with the storming operation.
On the same level, the Israeli authorities closed the Ibrahimi Mosque in the city of Hebron for two days, starting at dawn yesterday, until Tuesday evening.
In the context, Palestinian sources said that two Palestinian youths were wounded by Israeli bullets, in conjunction with the arrests of 15 people in different cities in the West Bank.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health said in a statement that two young men were wounded by Israeli bullets in the town of Al-Yamoun, near the city of Jenin in the northern West Bank. The ministry added that one of the two injuries is critical.
The Israeli forces stormed the town and began a campaign of raids and searches of Palestinian homes. Clashes erupted with dozens of young men who threw stones at it, injuring two young men.
The Israeli forces also raided cities and towns in the West Bank, and arrested 15 Palestinians in Bethlehem, Ramallah and Tubas, according to a statement by the Palestinian Prisoners Club.
Since the beginning of Ramadan, the Temple Mount has witnessed daily confrontations between Palestinian worshipers and the Israeli police, with the Jewish holidays, especially Easter, coinciding with the month of Ramadan.
And last Friday, more than 150 Palestinians were injured, and 400 others were arrested during the storming of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, while three policemen were injured.
In addition, yesterday, the Iron Dome missile defense system intercepted a missile fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israel.
And the army said in a statement: “Sirens sounded in the area near the Gaza Strip. A missile was fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israeli territory, which was intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system.”
In another context, diplomatic sources said that the UN Security Council will hold a closed session today, Tuesday, to discuss the escalation of tensions between Israel and the Palestinians in Jerusalem.
The UAE, France, Ireland, China and Norway requested that this meeting be held after a new wave of violence injured more than 20 people inside and around Al-Aqsa Mosque.
In addition, US State Department spokesman Ned Price said yesterday that senior US officials had telephoned contacts with Israelis, Palestinians and Arab representatives in the region at the weekend, in an effort not to escalate tension in Jerusalem.
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