Israel bars contentious 'Jerusalem Day marches' at Al-Aqsa as Palestinians celebrate police withdrawal
Israeli police have barred Jews from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque compound for the annual Jerusalem Day parades.
2 min read
Al-Aqsa is the third holiest site in Islam [Getty]
Israel imposed restrictions on the contentious Jerusalem Day march in the holy city on Monday to prevent further escalations in the occupied city.
Israeli police released a statement on Monday morning saying Jews will be barred from the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound "to secure the events and to protect the public’s safety".
The statement drew outrage from several Israeli lawmakers.
Far-right Israelis were seen outside the Armenian Quarter, located in the southwestern quarters in occupied East Jerusalem, attempting to climb over Palestinian homes.
Videos showed some far-right activists chanting Islamophobic slogans, circulated on Twitter.
The annual march, which is usually attended by tens of thousands of Israeli extremists, celebrates the establishment of Israeli control over the Old City in the aftermath of the 1967 Six-Day Arab-Israeli War.
In the East Jerusalem suburb of Sheikh Jarrah, settlers and far-right members of the Israeli Knesset barricaded themselves inside a Palestinian home.
The area has been a hotspot for violence after Israeli forces attacked Palestinians protests against the planned eviction of local families to make way for Israeli settlers.
Israeli police released a statement on Monday morning saying Jews will be barred from the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound "to secure the events and to protect the public’s safety".
The statement drew outrage from several Israeli lawmakers.
Far-right Israelis were seen outside the Armenian Quarter, located in the southwestern quarters in occupied East Jerusalem, attempting to climb over Palestinian homes.
Videos showed some far-right activists chanting Islamophobic slogans, circulated on Twitter.
The annual march, which is usually attended by tens of thousands of Israeli extremists, celebrates the establishment of Israeli control over the Old City in the aftermath of the 1967 Six-Day Arab-Israeli War.
In the East Jerusalem suburb of Sheikh Jarrah, settlers and far-right members of the Israeli Knesset barricaded themselves inside a Palestinian home.
The area has been a hotspot for violence after Israeli forces attacked Palestinians protests against the planned eviction of local families to make way for Israeli settlers.
On Monday morning, hundreds of Palestinian worshippers holding a sit-in protest sat Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque were injured after Israeli forces stormed the Muslim holy site, firing tear gas and rubber bullets.
The Palestinian Red Crescent initially reported over 100 casualties, but have since said the number of injured Palestinians has risen to 331.
Israeli forces later on Mooday withdrew from Al-Aqsa Mosque compound after a morning of attacks on Palestinian worshippers.
While locals anticipate the withdrawal as temporary, they continued to celebrate the departure of the forces on Monday afternoon.
The Palestinian Red Crescent initially reported over 100 casualties, but have since said the number of injured Palestinians has risen to 331.
Israeli forces later on Mooday withdrew from Al-Aqsa Mosque compound after a morning of attacks on Palestinian worshippers.
While locals anticipate the withdrawal as temporary, they continued to celebrate the departure of the forces on Monday afternoon.
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