More than 60 Palestinians injured in new Jerusalem clashes
Dozens of Palestinians have been injured during violence at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem.
Video footage posted on social media showed Israeli police firing tear gas and stun grenades, some of them landing inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque in the latest in a series of confrontations that is pushing the contested city to the brink of eruption.
Palestinian medics said more than 270 Palestinians were hurt, including around 200 who required hospital treatment.
Police said protesters threw stones at officers and a nearby road where thousands of Israeli Jews had gathered to pray.
In a statement, police alleged extremists were behind the violence and said it would “not allow extremists to harm the safety and security of the public”.
Tensions were particularly high as Israel marked ”Jerusalem Day“, an annual celebration of the capture of East Jerusalem, that includes a planned march by hardline Israeli nationalists through the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City.
Police have allowed the flag-waving parade to take place despite growing concerns that it could further fan the flames
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EU ‘extremely concerned about the ongoing clashes’
The European Union Delegation to the Palestinians has issued a statement saying it was “extremely concerned about the ongoing clashes between Palestinians and ISF” and calling for “immediate calm”.
It urged both sides to “refrain from resorting to violence” and the Israeli authorities to “exercise maximum restraint and allow paramedics to enter to provide medical services to those injured”.
Tom Batchelor10 May 2021 10:50
More than 270 injured, 205 hospitalised – Palestinian Red Crescent
Latest figures from the Palestinian Red Crescent put the total number of injured at more than 270, our Middle East correspondent Bel Trew reports.
Of those, more than 205 have been taken to hospital for treatment.
Palestinian medics evacuate a wounded protester on Monday
(AFP via Getty Images)
Tom Batchelor10 May 2021 10:37
Hundreds injured on Saturday night
The violent unrest has been ongoing for several days, with Palestinian medics saying that more than 200 people were hurt during protests over the weekend.
Reports said that on Saturday evening, a crowd of Palestinian protesters gathered outside the Old City’s Damascus Gate, chanting “God is great”. Some threw rocks and water bottles at police as well as lighting fires and tearing down police barricades.
Police mounted on horses fired stun grenades into the crowd, while water cannons were discharged from police trucks.
Tom Batchelor10 May 2021 10:25
Jerusalem has been on edge for weeks – here’s why
Israeli-Palestinian tensions have simmered across the contested city throughout the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, writes our Middle East correspondent, Bel Trew.
Here is her analysis of the cause of the escalation in violence in the holy city.
Tom Batchelor10 May 2021 10:12
Video appears to show tear gas fired inside mosque
Amateur, unverified video apparently shot inside the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem shows tear gas being used against protesters.
The Associated Press said on Monday morning that officers had fired tear gas and stun grenades and protesters had hurled stones and other objects at police.
Tom Batchelor10 May 2021 10:02
Nearly 200 Palestinians injured
At least 180 Palestinians have been injured in violent skirmishes with Israeli police, Palestinian medics have said, with 80 taken to hospital.
It came as police fired tear gas and stun grenades, some of them landing in the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Israeli police said Palestinians had hurled stones, chairs and other objects at officers and onto an adjoining road near the Western Wall, where thousands of Israeli Jews had gathered to pray.
Amateur video footage posted on social media showed police stun grenades and tear gas inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque during unrest involving officers and Palestinian protesters.
Tom Batchelor10 May 2021 09:55
Hello and welcome to The Independent’s rolling coverage of the unrest in Jerusalem.
Tom Batchelor10 May 2021 09:51
