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Israeli Occupation Soldiers Attack Muslim Worshippers at Al-Aqsa Mosque with Grenades, Gas Bombs and Rubber-Coated Metal Bullets, Kidnap Dozens of Palestinians in the West Bank, November 5, 2014

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Many Injuries Reported as Israeli occupation soldiers Invade Al-Aqsa Mosque

Wednesday November 05, 2014 11:04 by IMEMC & Agencies

Dozens of Israeli occupation soldiers invaded, on Wednesday morning, Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound in occupied Al-Quds (Jerusalem), assaulted Muslim worshipers with concussion grenades, gas bombs and rubber-coated metal bullets, and invaded the main mosque within the compound.

The Ma'an News Agency said dozens of Israeli occupation soldiers invaded the yards of the mosque through the al-Maghariba Gate and the Silsila Gate and assaulted dozens of worshipers who managed to reach the mosque yards.

Shaikh Azzam al-Khatib, head of the Islamic Waqf and Endowment in Jerusalem, stated that dozens of soldiers invaded the al-Qibli mosque while heavily armed.

Al-Khatib denounced the military desecration of the mosque, and this serious violation, especially since the soldiers violated the sanctity of the mosque, wearing their shoes and carrying their weapons into the house of prayer, in a serious escalation and assault.

Eyewitnesses said clashes took place inside the al-Qibli mosque of Al-Aqsa and that the soldiers fired dozens of gas bombs and concussion grenades at the worshipers causing several injuries. Two people suffered serious head wounds, and one who was shot in his eye.

Palestinian medics rushed to the scene, but the soldiers prevented them from entering the mosque compound for more than 30 minutes before they decided to allow just one doctor and a nurse to enter.

Initial reports indicate that around 40 Palestinians have been injured.

The soldiers then closed the gates of the al-Qibli mosque with chains and iron bars, and hurled concussion grenades at the mosque guards.

Earlier on Wednesday at dawn, the soldiers prevented all Muslim men below the age of 50 from entering the mosque, and allowed the women through only after withholding their ID cards.

Following dawn prayers, Israel prevented all worshipers, including Waqf Department employees and around 500 Sharia students, from entering the mosque.

The soldiers opened the mosque more than an hour later following extensive talks.

The soldiers also closed all gates of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, except for Bab Hatta, Bab Al-Majlis (Council Gate) and Bab as-Silsila (Chain Gate).

In related news, dozens of Israeli fanatics invaded the yards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, amidst extensive police and military deployment, and toured in the area amidst calls for more extensive invasions of the Mosque compound.

Also in Jerusalem, Israeli soldiers demolished an under-construction Palestinian home in the at-Tour neighborhood in occupied Jerusalem.

The soldiers also kidnapped at least 17 Palestinians in occupied Jerusalem, and Abu Dis nearby town.

Clashes rock Al-Aqsa Mosque compound

(updated) 05/11/2014 13:09

Ras al-Amud on Oct. 31, 2014 (AFP/File Jack Guez) JERUSALEM (Ma'an) --

Israeli occupation government police clashed with Palestinian worshipers inside Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Al-Quds (Jerusalem) on Wednesday and right-wing Israeli Jews toured the holy place, witnesses told Ma'an.

Palestinian guards of the mosque said dozens of Israeli occupation government police officers raided the compound, entering through the Maghariba and Silsila Gates and firing stun grenades and rubber-coated bullets to disperse Muslim worshipers.

The guards said several youths suffered from excessive tear gas inhalation and were injured by rubber-coated bullets and shrapnel from stun grenades.

Witnesses added that two of the youths were badly injured -- one in the head and another in the eye.

A doctor and nurse were allowed to enter the compound an hour later.

Israeli occupation government police raided the Al-Qibli Mosque, where Muslims conduct Friday prayers, and later closed the mosque with chains and steel barriers as right-wing Jews prepared to tour the compound, Azzam Al-Khatib, the director of the Jerusalem department of religious endowment, told Ma'an.

Additionally, restrictions were imposed on Palestinian worshipers entering the compound. Men under 50 years old were banned from entering and women were forced to hand over their identity cards upon entering.

The clashes quickly spread into the alleys of the surrounding Al-Quds Old City, an AFP correspondent reported.

Near Lions' Gate, one of the seven entrances to the historic heart of East Jerusalem, Israeli police fired tear gas and stun grenades to disperse a large crowd of Palestinians.

Dozens of children on their way to school were affected by the gas, the correspondent reported.

Israeli occupation government police confirmed the clashes.

"Dozens of masked protesters threw stones and firecrackers at security forces who then entered (Al-Haram Al-Sharif Compound) and pushed the demonstrators back inside the mosque," the spokeswoman told AFP.

The clashes came amid continued tensions over right-wing Jewish demands to be able to pray inside the compound despite being off-limits in mainstream Judaism, in addition to the expansion of Israeli settlement building in Palestinian East Jerusalem.

Israeli Occupation Army Denies Hundreds Of Worshipers Access To The Al-Aqsa Mosque

Tuesday November 04, 2014 12:27 by IMEMC & Agencies

Hundreds of Palestinian Muslims had to perform dawn prayers in the streets and alleys of the Old City of occupied East Jerusalem, after Israeli occupation soldiers and police officers denied them access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque for dawn prayers.

Local sources said the soldiers continued to prevent all Palestinians males, below the age of 40, from entering the mosque during dawn and morning hours for the third consecutive day.

The WAFA News Agency said dozens of Israeli extremists invaded the yards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque during morning hours under heavy police and army deployment.

Similar to numerous previous invasions, the attack took place through the Al-Magharba Gate, while the extremists conducted provocative tours in the entire area of the mosque.

Israeli fanatics are planning to invade the mosque area in large numbers, Wednesday, while the Palestinians said they would be countering the attack, WAFA said.

The Wednesday invasion marks a week after the attempted killing of extremist rabbi Yehuda Glick, while hundreds, if not thousands, of fanatics are said to be participating in the attack.

A statement released by the so-called Temple Mount Movement called for thousands of Israelis, including Members of Knesset and senior figures, to gather near the Al-Magharba Gate, before advancing into the mosque’s yards to “perform prayers,” WAFA stated.  

Army Kidnaps 17 Palestinians In Occupied Jerusalem

Wednesday November 05, 2014 12:26 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Israeli soldiers invaded various villages and neighborhoods in occupied East Jerusalem, and the Abu Dis nearby town, broke into and ransacked dozens of homes, and kidnapped at least 17 Palestinians.

Local sources said the police and the army surrounded entire neighborhoods in occupied Jerusalem, before invading them and breaking into homes, and ransacking them.

The Ad-Dameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association said the soldiers kidnapped 13 young Palestinian men in occupied East Jerusalem.

It said the kidnapped have been identified as Fadi Abu Sbeih, Suleiman Sayyad, Yousef Dari, Ayoub Abu al-Hawa, Mahmoud Shweiki, Badea’ Gheith, Mohammad Joulani, Yousef Eskafi, Mahmoud ‘Obeid, Mahmoud Jayyar, Kathem Anous (child), Moath ar-Razem and Ala’ Ar-Razem.

Several Israeli military vehicles also surrounded Abu Dis town, before invading it and conducting searches of homes and cars, and kidnapping four Palestinians identified as Mohammad Daoud Halabiyya, Mohammad Nabil Bader, Raed Ahmad Rabea’ and Mohammad Saleh Khanafsa.

The army recently kidnapped dozens of Palestinians, including several children in numerous invasions in Abu Dis, southeast of Jerusalem.

Lawyer Bassam Bahar, head of the Abu Dis Lands Defense Committee, stated that dozens of youths have been kidnapped, and many injured, in Abu Dis, especially during the latest Israeli aggression on Gaza.

He added that among the wounded are Adam Hisham Erekat, who suffered a serious head injury, Hamza Hisham Erekat, who was shot in the leg, and Khaled Jamal Bader, who suffered a serious gunshot injury to the neck.

Many of the kidnapped Palestinians are still held by Israel, including two teenagers identified as Yacoub Jamal Bader, 17, ‘Odai Yousef Bader, 19, and a child identified as Baker Dandees.

Bahar said all of the kidnapped Palestinians are below the age of 20, and that the soldiers held, last week, both the father and brother of Yacoub to pressure him into handing himself in to the army.

At Least Six Palestinians Kidnapped During Overnight West Bank Campaign

Tuesday November 04, 2014 22:11 by IMEMC News & Agencies

Israeli forces are reported to have kidnapped, at dawn on Tuesday, six Palestinian citizens during a large-scale raid campaign throughout the occupied West Bank.

According to Palestinian media, local sources said that forces arrested a university student after violently storming and searching his home in Deir Sammit town, to the south of al-Khalil (Hebron).

His family members were reportedly left outdoors in rainy weather, during the search. Additionally, two ex-detainees, having served several months in Israeli jails, were also detained when Israeli soldiers violently raided their homes in Beit Ummar, in Hebron city.

During the campaign, Israeli troops stormed a number of homes as they allegedly looked for a wanted person. One high school student received a summons for interrogation during a raid on his parents' home.

In Jenin, Israeli soldiers abducted injured young man Mujahed al-Iz, at dawn today, from his home.

Dozens of citizens were also reportedly detained and interrogated during the night at Dothan and Barta'a military checkpoints, to the southwest of Jenin, while their vehicles were searched.

Israeli forces also intensified their presence in Yabud town, where they carried out a search operation in the olive fields.

In related news, the Palestinian Prisoners' Society has reported that forces detained, last October, around 100 Palestinians from al-Khalil, 45 of whom have been kept in administrative detention.

Israel Approves 278 Settlement Units In Occupied East Jerusalem

Wednesday November 05, 2014 13:20 by IMEMC & Agencies

The Israeli “Planning and Construction Committee” in Jerusalem approved, Tuesday, the construction of 278 units for Jewish settlers in occupied East Jerusalem.

Israeli sources said the approval is meant or the construction of 216 units in Ramot illegal settlement, and 62 in Jabal Abu Ghneim settlement (Har Homa).

Last Sunday, Israel approved the construction of 500 units in Ramat Shlomo illegal settlement, and approved paving a new road, leading to the settlement, by illegally confiscating privately owned Palestinian lands.

The Israeli government of Benjamin Netanyahu intends to approve various settlement construction projects in occupied East Jerusalem, in what it called a “retaliation to Palestinian diplomatic moves around the world,” and to punish the Palestinian Authority for joining a number of United Nations organizations and treaties.

Israel will likely be announcing more projects in the near future, meant for constructing and expanding illegal settlements not only in occupied Jerusalem, but also in various areas in the West Bank.

Israel to Approve Over 600 New Housing Units in Jerusalem

Tuesday November 04, 2014 21:29 by IMEMC News & Agencies

The Israeli Planning Commission is scheduled to meet, on Monday, to approve building plans for 660 new housing units in the Jerusalem settlement of Ramat Shlomo, according to a report by Channel 10.

The housing plans recently announced by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly state that 660 units are to be built in Ramat Shlomo, in addition to an additional 400 units in the southeastern settlement of Har Homa.

Channel 10 also said that Mr. Netanyahu also ordered a forward move in the "services" projects for settlers throughout the occupied West Bank, to include streets and public buildings.

The channel earlier, according to Al Ray, revealed Netanyahu's intention to approve the construction of 1,000 housing units in Jerusalem and the West Bank as part of a deal with the Israeli right party.

 

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