The Palestinian Red Crescent said that it took seven Palestinians to an east Jerusalem hospital for treatment of injuries from sponge-tipped bullets, tear gas and beatings.
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He further emphasized that the acts of aggression, which have been committed by the Israelis over the past two days, are not something new and had also occurred before the holy month of Ramadan.
On his part, Jordanian deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Judeh said that he and Jordan’s Embassy in Tel Aviv have contacted various Israeli officials, denouncing the Israeli violations and holding Tel Aviv responsible for any further escalation.
Muslims place particular importance on the last 10 days of Ramadan, which sees an increase in visitors to the mosque for tarawih (nightly) prayers.
Muslims refer to it as the Noble Sanctuary, where they believe the Prophet Mohammad embarked on a night journey to heaven, while Jews refer to it as the Temple Mount, where the two Jewish temples stood in biblical times. It later annexed the city in 1980, claiming it as the capital of the Jewish state in a move never recognized by the worldwide community. The clashes began after young Muslims at the site tried to prevent Jews from visiting on Monday.
He went on to assert that Israeli police had promised earlier to suspend such visits by Jewish settlers during the last 10 days of Ramadan, the Muslim fasting month, which will come to an end in the first week of July.
Jordan, he added, urges the global community, to hold Israel, as the occupying power, fully responsible for what is happening in Jerusalem and force it to implement all United Nations resolutions.
The violence broke out after weeks without clashes at the Al Aqsa mosque compound, which is holy to both Muslims and Jews.
UNESECO strongly condemns the Israeli aggressions and illegal measures against the freedom of worship and Muslims’ access to their holy site, and requests Israel to respect the historic status quo and to immediately stop these measures, a statement read.
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Israeli authorities announced Tuesday they were closing Jerusalem’s flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound to non-Muslim visitors after a series of clashes between worshippers and police.
