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Israeli forces on alert ahead of Palestinian ‘Day of Rage’
Israeli security forces are on a heightened state of alert today in anticipation of clashes following Friday prayers. Violence at Jerusalem’s Temple Mount this week has increased tensions in both Jerusalem and the West Bank.
Earlier this week, Palestinian youths, who had barricaded themselves in the al-Aqsa Mosque atop the Temple Mount with rocks, fireworks and pipe bombs, began attacking non-Muslim visitors. Israeli police and border guards entered the Temple Mount area and a serious clash ensued. The Palestinian Authority’s (PA) Ministry of Information accused Israel of “declaring war” on Palestinians and their holy sites, while PA President Mahmoud Abbas said on Wednesday that “Each drop of blood that was spilled in Jerusalem is pure blood.”
Ahead of Friday prayers at mosques across Jerusalem and the West Bank, Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other terror groups have called for a “day of rage.” With further violence anticipated, Israel Police have deployed an extra 800 officers in Jerusalem. Meanwhile, men under the age of 40 will be barred from entering the Temple Mount today, following intelligence of a planned confrontation there.
Israel Police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld said, “We can see there are calls from extremists to try to incite riots in Jerusalem, and we will be implementing security measures in different areas to prevent any major incidents from taking place.”
Meanwhile, violent incidents continued overnight. A Palestinian threw a firebomb hitting an Israeli car travelling near the West Bank settlement of Elon Moreh. The car flipped over but the driver was unhurt. A similar incident on Sunday in Jerusalem resulted in the death of a 64-year-old man, after his car was struck by rocks. Also last night, an empty bus was set ablaze in East Jerusalem after the driver fled having been attacked by rocks.
Yesterday, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, assuring him that Israel is rigorously maintaining the status quo at the Temple Mount, in contrast to Palestinian incitement.