Ramadan and Passover raise tensions at Jerusalem holy site

As truthful often successful the past, the latest scenes of unit astatine Jerusalem's astir important beatified tract for Muslims and Jews are igniting wide anger.

In 1 societal media video, heavy equipped Israeli constabulary seemingly usage a firearm butt and sticks to bushed Palestinian worshippers who had barricaded themselves wrong the al-Aqsa mosque.

Israeli constabulary person released their ain footage which seems to amusement fireworks thrown by Palestinians, lighting up the supplication hall.

Pictures of the aftermath amusement overturned furnishings and supplication mats scattered crossed the carpet.

With tensions already moving precocious successful the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, for months, officials and diplomats person been informing astir the hazard of a caller circular of unit successful this ineffable spot astatine a highly delicate time.

The al-Aqsa Mosque compound/Haram al-Sharif is the 3rd holiest spot successful Islam. It is besides known arsenic Temple Mount, the holiest tract successful Judaism.

In the past, the compound has often seen clashes betwixt Palestinian worshippers and Israeli information forces, triggering wider unrest.

In May 2021, an Israeli raid present contributed to an 11-day full-scale struggle betwixt Israel and Hamas, the Islamist militant radical which governs the Gaza Strip.

Last year, the archetypal clip that the Islamic beatified period of Ramadan and the week-long Jewish vacation of Passover coincided successful 3 decades, determination were convulsive scenes implicit successive days arsenic Israeli constabulary cleared the courtyard earlier escorting Jewish visitors into the compound.

They said that stones were besides thrown towards the Western Wall, down beneath the compound, the holiest spot wherever Jews are allowed to pray.

From Wednesday evening, Ramadan and Passover overlap again. The adjacent 2 weekends besides people Easter for Western churches and Eastern Orthodox ones.

All of the festivals gully much spiritual visitors to the Old City. As good arsenic locals, immoderate 60,000 tourists were owed to get successful Israel this week, according to authoritative figures.

In caller days, determination has been a festive buzz successful the aerial astatine the gates of Jerusalem's Old City.

Palestinians I spoke to were pleased determination had been a immense turnout for prayers connected the 2nd Friday of Ramadan - with immoderate 250,000 radical attending, according to the Islamic Waqf which administers the site. Israeli authorities allowed immoderate 70,000 Palestinians to participate Jerusalem from the West Bank.

Tens of thousands of Christians besides gathered for Sunday's Palm Sunday procession from the Mount of Olives.

"This was good, but it's ever the governmental radical who tin marque fire. That's what everyone's acrophobic of," said Palestinian souvenir seller Marwan, arsenic helium sold candles to Christian pilgrims heading to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre - built wherever Christians judge Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected.

Prior to Wednesday's morning's unrest, Hamas called for worshippers to seal themselves successful al-Aqsa mosque to halt a program by Jewish extremists to effort to sacrifice a goat for Passover astatine the hilltop site, resurrecting a biblical tradition.

Clashes began aft a fewer 100 Palestinians barricaded themselves successful the mosque aft Ramadan prayers.

The bulk were soon cleared retired by Israeli police, but dozens remained inside. Police stated that what ensued was a "violent riot" by "lawbreakers and troublemakers" who they accidental desecrated the mosque.

Palestinian leaders condemned the Israeli attacks connected worshippers arsenic a crime, saying a "red line" had been crossed. Militants successful Gaza swiftly responded by firing rockets astatine confederate Israel, prompting Israel warplanes to weaponry sites determination linked to Hamas.

Jordan and Egypt, some progressive successful caller Washington-backed efforts to de-escalate tensions betwixt Israel and the Palestinians, were besides highly captious of Israel's actions.

Fears of further confrontations successful the coming days are present heightened, peculiarly if Israeli officials specified arsenic the far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir marque a visit, oregon if Israeli constabulary let Jewish activists to commune astatine the delicate site, breaking fragile, decades-old rules which use there.

"We are ever acrophobic astir the attempts of Jewish extremists to upset the presumption quo," Dr Mustafa Abu Sway, an Islamic student and subordinate of the Islamic Waqf Council successful Jerusalem, told maine earlier this week.

He said the important past 10 days of Ramadan which statesman adjacent Tuesday, starring into Laylat al-Qadr, the Night of Power, were a peculiar issue.

"Historically, Israel arsenic an occupying unit prevented Jewish extremists from entering during these 10 days. But with specified a authorities successful place, we are acrophobic that they volition let it," helium said.

Israeli authorities importune that they enactment to sphere state of worship astatine the spiritual site, which plays a highly symbolic relation successful the nationalist narratives of Israelis and Palestinians.

It is believed by Muslims to beryllium the determination wherever the Prophet Mohammed ascended to Heaven, portion Jews revere it arsenic the tract of 2 Biblical temples, the 2nd of which was destroyed successful Roman times.