Senior Israeli police officers have acknowledged that police in Jerusalem used extreme pressure towards Palestinians this week, warning that persevering with to take action may end in a nationwide response by Palestinians within the month of Ramadan.
As 1000’s of Palestinians gathered in Jerusalem’s Outdated Metropolis on Monday afternoon to rejoice the night time of Al-Israa wa Al-Mi’raj – the Prophet Muhammad’s night time journey from Makkah to Jerusalem after which to the heavens – Israeli police confronted them, resulting in clashes.
Watch: An Israeli soldier knees on the neck of a Palestinian younger man whereas detaining him within the streets of #Jerusalem.#FreePalestine pic.twitter.com/y7vLOIMLL5
— Wafa Information Company – English (@WAFANewsEnglish) February 28, 2022
Round 20 Palestinians have been arrested, whereas the Palestinian Crimson Crescent put the variety of these injured at 36. Two youngsters have been additionally injured by a stun grenade thrown on them by Israeli police, with one in all them being an 11-year-old woman who needed to be taken to the hospital.
Following the incident, police stated it was being investigated by the Justice Ministry unit that investigates police misconduct. The Israeli information outlet, Haaretz, nevertheless, has revealed that senior police officers have admitted using extreme pressure and deem it to be an unwise motion.
Talking to the paper, one of many senior sources stated that “Shortly earlier than Ramadan, within the midst of vacation preparations, issues want to stay quiet at Damascus Gate. What was achieved, with your complete world watching a disabled woman injured by a stun grenade, with photographs of water cannons spraying girls and youngsters?” The officers warned that “If there is not a right away change in method, these incidents will solely be a promo forward of Ramadan.”
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Clashes within the holy month of Ramadan are a standard incidence within the occupied Palestinian territories, particularly in Jerusalem, with Israeli forces typically implementing measures which restrict Muslim Palestinians’ capability to worship within the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and the areas surrounding it.
Final yr, these measures – which included erecting barricades on the Damascus Gate to impede worshippers – led to weeks of clashes within the metropolis and past it, with intense battle happening between Hamas within the Gaza Strip and Israeli forces. That resulted within the deaths of over 200 Palestinians and round a dozen Israelis.
Israeli authorities reportedly don’t need a repeat of that incident. “There are sufficient individuals who want to stoke tensions within the space, however we can’t give East Jerusalem residents any motive to take action,” the senior officer stated. “We should always allow them to rejoice Ramadan with minimal friction, and take management of incidents as they occur”.
One other supply instructed the paper that “The narrative we want to ship is that issues could be carried out in a different way” this yr. Israel’s strikes to restrict the potential for battle this Ramadan have been additionally seen final month, when it was reported that Israeli police have determined to not erect limitations at Damascus Gate.
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