Fresh Jerusalem clashes leave more than 90 injured: Palestinian medics
Sunday, 9 May 2021 (12:11 IST)
Fresh clashes broke out between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police in Jerusalem late on Saturday, leaving dozens of people injured.
Tensions have been rising over the potential eviction of Palestinians from land claimed by Jewish settlers in the Shaikh Jarrah neighborhood of the city.
A spokesman for the Palestinian Red Crescent told the AFP news agency that 90 people had been wounded in the violence that saw stun grenades and rubber bullets fired to disperse the crowds.
The aid service had given an earlier estimate of 53 people who had been injured.
The four members of the Middle East Quartet — the US, Russia, the EU and the UN — expressed “deep concern” over the recent unrest.
They pointed to “last night’s confrontations (Friday) between Palestinians and Israeli security forces at Haram Al-Sharif/Temple Mount.”
“We are alarmed by the provocative statements made by some political groups, as well as the launching of rockets and the resumption of incendiary balloons from Gaza towards Israel, and attacks on Palestinian farmland in the West Bank.”
“We call upon Israeli authorities to exercise restraint and to avoid measures that would further escalate the situation during this period of Muslim Holy Days,” the statement said, insisting that “all leaders have a responsibility to act against extremists and to speak out against all acts of violence and incitement.”
Speaking to a meeting of senior security officials, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the police.
“Israel is acting responsibly to ensure respect for law and order in Jerusalem while allowing freedom of worship,” he said.
Police Commissioner Yaakov Shabtai said extra officers had been deployed in Jerusalem on Saturday to “enable freedom of worship and maintain order and security.”
“At the same time, we will not allow violent riots, lawbreaking or the harming of police officers. We ask everyone to calm the spirits and violence, particularly on such an important day for the Muslim religion,” Shabtai said in a statement.
Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state. Israel claims the entire city as its eternal, indivisible capital.
Its annexation of the eastern section was not recognized internationally.
A long-running dispute between Palestinians and Israeli settlers in Shaikh Jarrah is set to be heard by the Israeli supreme court on Monday.
The League of Arab States has urged the international community to intervene to prevent any forced evictions.
