The Israeli Army has assured this Wednesday that the irruption of agents inside the Al Aqsa mosque, which has triggered some incidents that have resulted in more than 300 detainees, took place after an “attempt to negotiate” so that a group of people who had “entrenched themselves” inside would put an end to their actions and evacuate the facilities.
Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagani has pointed out that “About 400 young Palestinians from East Jerusalem barricaded themselves inside the mosque with fireworks and stones” and added that “after the night prayers, the Israeli Police tried to negotiate with them to evacuate (the place), but this failed and caused the Police to enter the
“There is about 300 responsible for violent riots arrested“, he said, before emphasizing that the situation in the Esplanade of the Mosques, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, “is now calm.” “The Muslim faithful and tourists have returned to the area for the prayers of the morning. Israeli policy remains the same. We work to guarantee religious freedom and prayer at this time of religious festivities,” he explained.
In this sense, it has affected that “hundreds of thousands of faithful Muslims have prayed peacefully on the Temple Mount during this Ramadan.” “We will continue to do everything possible to maintain peace in the place,” Hagari asserted, amid the Palestinian and international criticism of the actions of the Israeli security forces inside the Al Aqsa Mosque.
The Army’s version is in line with that provided by the Israeli Police, which has emphasized after the incidents that occurredseveral dozen young men entrenched in one of the rooms of the mosque since early at night, with the alleged intention of committing violent actions. The agents would have tried to evict them peacefully before entering the building by force.
On the other hand, Hagari has confirmed “an increase in violence from Gaza” and has indicated that ten projectiles have been fired from the Strip into Israeli territory. “There have been three waves of ten rockets. Four have been intercepted, five have fallen in open areas and one has fallen near a factory in Sderot. There are no casualties,” he reported.
“He Army has responded by bombing three positions and military posts that belong to the terrorist organization Hamas in Gaza”, he pointed out, before stating that the Army “is on alert in all areas”. “If Gaza attacks, the Israeli Army will respond firmly. We are not interested in escalation, but we are prepared for all scenarios,” he pointed out.
Hagari has also confirmed that a soldier has been injured in an incident in the West Bank city of Beit Omer and has detailed that “he is receiving medical attention.” “There have also been disturbances of order in the Salem pass in northern Judea and Samaria – Biblical name for the West Bank-“, he said, before detailing that “two suspects who were planning a terrorist attack were arrested while carrying weapons”.
“This time of year is important to all of Israel, regardless of one’s religion, and we are determined to overcome all obstacles to ensure that it is a happy holiday for all residents of the State of Israel. We will continue to protect Israeli civilians from the terrorism on all fronts and acting to allow everyone to celebrate the Jewish Passover, Ramadan and Easter holidays in peace and quiet”, he added.
The Esplanade of the Mosques is the religious heart of East Jerusalem and rests on one of its sides on the Wailing Wall, the last vestige of the Jewish Solomon’s Temple. The ‘status quo’ in the area prevents Jews from praying in the place and only authorizes them to visit the place at predetermined times and to travel through a fixed route, accompanied by policemen who must ensure that the faithful do not pray or that they bring in Israeli flags or religious objects.
Israel took control of the Temple Mount and the rest of the Old City of Jerusalem during the Six Day War (1967). However, it allowed Jordan to continue to maintain religious authority at the site and, under the peace agreement, recognized Jordan’s “special role” over “Muslim holy places in Jerusalem.”
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