Jordan blames Israel for extremist attacks on Palestinians

Jordan has blamed the Israeli government for racist attacks on Palestinians earlier this week that caused dozens of injuries and sparked international condemnation.

At least 105 people were wounded on Thursday evening, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent, when far-right Jewish activists led a march through Jerusalem to "restore Jewish dignity" while shouting "Death to Arabs".

Witnesses have said that Israeli police largely stood by as Jewish extremists attacked Palestinian individuals and property. Around 50 arrests were made, among them Palestinians who threw rocks at police and far-right agitators.

In a statement on Friday, the Jordanian foreign ministry said that Israel is responsible, as an occupying power, for the extremist violence.

East Jerusalem and the West Bank have been illegally occupied by Israel since 1967. Israeli authorities annexed east Jerusalem shortly afterwards, sending hundreds of thousands of settlers to live there in contravention of international law and evicting Palestinians from their homes. 

Jordan also reiterated its condemnation of Israeli restrictions on access to the Al-Aqsa mosque complex in Jerusalem, which is one of Islam's holiest sites.

Israel routinely curbs access to the mosque but increases its intimidation of worshippers during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The restrictions often spark violence as Israeli police harrassPalestinian worshippers attempting to access the mosque.
 
Jordanian foreign ministry spokesman Defaillah Fayez said that the international community must call on Israel to "halt its ongoing violations and provocations".

Clashes continued in the holy city on Friday and Saturday, with protests spilling out into the occupied West Bank. Solidarity protests were also held in the Gaza Strip, followed by Israeli airstrikes which the Israeli army said were in response to rocket fire from the besieged Palestinian coastal territory,

Israeli settlers threw stones and molotov cocktails at vehicles in Sheikh Jarrah, a Palestinian neighbourhood in east Jerusalem where several families have recently been evicted from their homes.

Settlers also attempted to break in to Palestinian-owned homes in Sheikh Jarrah on Saturday, Arabi21 reported.

Two people were injured when Israeli forces shot live bullets at demonstrators in the Aqbat Jabr refugee camp near Jericho in the West Bank, according to Palestinian news agency Wafa, with several others injured during demonstrations in Jerusalem and at the Qalandiya checkpoint.

At leat four people were hospitalised due to injuries sustained from a confrontation with the police on Friday evening near Jerusalem's Old City, the Palestinian Red Crescent said. Another 18 were injured.

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