Evening clashes between Palestinians and Israeli troops take place near Aqsa

PIC

[ 14/03/2010 - 10:41 AM ]

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)-- Violent clashes broke out Saturday evening between Jerusalemite citizens and the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) in the neighborhoods of the Old City near the Aqsa Mosque because of the Israeli escalation against the Islamic holy sites.

Local sources in the holy city told the Palestinian information center (PIC) that clashes took place between Palestinians and IOF troops following the sunset prayer and concentrated around the Aqsa Mosque especially in the neighborhood of Ras Al-Amud.

Two Palestinians suffered breathing problems due to tear gas inhalation and two others were rounded up, according to the sources.

In a related context, the association of Palestinian scholars on Saturday called on the Palestinian citizens to frequent the Aqsa Mosque and be ready to confront any Israeli attempt to open a synagogue near the Mosque next Tuesday.

The association urged Muslim scalars to mobilize their peoples and direct their attention to the dangers threatening the Aqsa Mosque.

It also expressed hope that the Arab leaders would put the issue of Islamic holy sites in Palestine on their agenda during upcoming summit in Libya.

For its part, the Hamas Movement hailed some Palestinian resistance factions for holding and participating in marches in Gaza and abroad against the settlement expansion and Judaization activities.

Hamas, at the same time, condemned other Palestinian factions and forces for refraining from holding or partaking in events in support for the Islamic holy sites because of pressures made on them by Fatah faction and the Palestinian Authority (PA) in Ramallah.

For his part, Palestinian minister of religious affairs Dr. Taleb Abu Sha’ar appealed to the Arab and Muslim nations and the world’s free people to break their silence and move to defend the Aqsa Mosque, especially after Israeli settlers’ threats to storm the Mosque in the coming days.

In a statement on Saturday, Dr. Abu Sha’ar said that Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu, through such actions, wants to embellish his image in the eyes of his entourage and to rally the largest number of supporters around his right-wing party.

In a new development, the IOF troops continued for the fourth consecutive day to impose tight restrictions on the movement of Palestinians and their attempts to reach the Aqsa Mosque to perform their daily prayers.

The Hebrew radio reported on Sunday that the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) will only allow the Palestinians over age 50 who hold blue ID cards to enter the Aqsa Mosque.

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