Israeli forces storm Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque, arresting hundreds of Palestinian worshipers

[Eugene]

Also: Violence resumes at Jerusalem holy site for 2nd night (Associated Press)

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Source: CBS News

Israeli forces storm Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque, arresting hundreds of Palestinian worshipers

BY HALEY OTT
UPDATED ON: APRIL 5, 2023 / 7:03 PM / CBS NEWS

Violence broke out at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem's Old City overnight after Israeli police stormed the sensitive compound, fueling fear that already-high tension in the heart of the Middle East could erupt again into conflict during a sensitive holiday season.

Al-Aqsa is one of the holiest sites in Islam and shares a hilltop with the Temple Mount, the holiest site for Jews. Palestinians consider the site a national symbol, and the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli security forces was a major catalyst for 11 days of violent clashes in 2021.

In response to the raid, a series of rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip, which is run by the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Israel then said it had conducted airstrikes targeting Hamas weapons storage and manufacturing sites.

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Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/israel-jerusalem-al-aqsa-mosque-violence-israeli-arrests-palestinians/

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Source: Associated Press

Violence resumes at Jerusalem holy site for 2nd night

By ISABEL DEBRE and FARES AKRAM
April 5, 2023

JERUSALEM (AP) — Violence resumed for a second straight night in Jerusalem Wednesday when Palestinian worshippers barricaded themselves inside Al-Aqsa Mosque at the Old City’s sensitive compound and Israeli police used force to take dozens of worshippers out.

The tension in Jerusalem also prompted rocket fire from the Gaza Strip on Wednesday night.

The fighting, which comes as Muslims mark the holy month of Ramadan and Jews began Passover, raised fears of a wider conflagration.

The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that at least six people were injured in the latest violence. The Islamic Waqf authorities, which manages the compound, said police fired stun grenades and rubber bullets to disperse the crowds.

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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-al-aqsa-fighting-ae1f960552300f6e7c72b3fdad4e3d73

[TheRealNorth]

1. Sounds like Bibi is going to precipitate some violence....

So he can gut the judiciary while everyone is distracted.

[Israeli]

2. Absolutely correct.

He wont go to the Temple Mount like Arik Sharon did , too obvious .

He lets his religious fanatics do it for him :

Police detain several people seeking to carry out animal sacrifice at Temple Mount

Cops stop a number of individuals with goats or lambs as they try to bring them to sensitive holy site to perform ancient ritual; act seen as having explosive potential

By TOI STAFF
5 April 2023

Police detained a number of people near Jerusalem’s Temple Mount Wednesday with lamb or goats they were suspected of intending to sacrifice at the site for the Passover holiday.

By noon, at least three clips of people being detained with animals were shared on social media.

In recent years, fringe religious groups have increasingly sought to carry out the sacrifice at the flashpoint Jerusalem holy site, as performed on Passover in biblical times. The Returning to the Mount group makes a request each year to carry out the ritual, but to no avail.

Most Israeli security officials believe that permitting the Passover sacrifice on the Temple Mount would spark fierce protests by Muslims in Jerusalem, the West Bank and neighboring Arab countries, who would see it as a major change to the status quo on the holy site.

The movement has handed out flyers in the Old City in recent days calling on activists to bring a lamb onto the Temple Mount for the pre-Passover sacrifice, and promising a financial reward for those arrested by police while attempting such a sacrifice. The movement offered NIS 2,500 ($700) for anyone arrested on the Temple Mount with a lamb and NIS 20,000 ($8,240) for a successful sacrifice.

The efforts, which drew the attention of Palestinian social media, are believed to have contributed to clashes at Al-Aqsa Mosque overnight, which saw police break into the mosque and detain hundreds after masked youths barricaded themselves inside with fireworks, clubs and rocks following evening prayers, while locking the doors and placing barricades at the entrances.

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On Sunday, far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said that Jews should visit the Temple Mount during the holiday but not perform the ritual sacrifice, which he has repeatedly called for allowing in the past and has even attempted to perform himself.

Source : https://www.timesofisrael.com/police-detain-several-people-seeking-to-carry-out-animal-sacrifice-at-temple-mount/