OCCUPIED JERUSALEM — Israeli police fired stun grenades at Palestinian
worshippers at occupied Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque on Friday, two weeks after
similar unrest at the sensitive religious site triggered deadly hostilities in the
Gaza Strip.
اضافة اعلان
AFP reporters said Israeli occupation forces fired
rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades at unarmed Palestinians, including into
a group of men standing around talking, one with a prayer mat slung over his
shoulder.
Some youths responded by lobbing stones.
The Palestinian Red Crescent said 21 people were hurt in the
Al-Aqsa clashes, including two who were hospitalized.
The Palestinian presidency in a statement condemned the
"Israeli occupation forces storming Al-Aqsa Mosque after Friday prayers and
their assault on worshippers."
Relative calm then returned to the compound.
Days of unrest at Al-Aqsa during Islam's holy fasting month
of Ramadan led Hamas to demand Israeli forces vacate the compound by 6pm (1500
GMT) on May 10.
Hamas fired rockets at Israel when the deadline expired,
prompting Israeli occupation forces to launch a devastating aerial bombardment
campaign on the Gaza Strip.
'Steadfastness of the people'
A ceasefire to end the Gaza hostilities appeared to be
holding on Friday.
In the occupied West Bank, hundreds gathered in several
towns after Friday prayers to mark the end to the Israeli air strikes on the Gaza
Strip.
The Red Crescent said dozens were wounded after Israeli
forces fired live rounds, rubber-coated bullets, stun grenades, and tear gas in
some areas.
North of Ramallah, Mohammed Mosleh and his 11-year-old son
had come out to show solidarity with the people in Gaza.
He told AFP he praised "the steadfastness of the people
there in the face of a powerful state with devastating weapons."
Omar Harb, who attended the rally with his sons, said that
"what happened in Gaza was one of many rounds of oppression and occupation
against the Palestinian people."
"Our resistance to the occupation will not end with
this round," he said.
Israeli occupation forces have killed 25 Palestinians in the
occupied West Bank since May 10, Palestinian health authorities said.
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