Senior Israeli police officers have acknowledged that police in Jerusalem used extreme power towards Palestinians this week, warning that persevering with to take action might 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As 1000’s of Palestinians gathered in Jerusalem’s Outdated Metropolis on Monday afternoon to have a good time the night time of Al-Israa wa Al-Mi’raj – the Prophet Muhammad’s night time journey from Makkah to Jerusalem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
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Round 20 Palestinians had been arrested, whereas the Palestinian Crimson Crescent put the variety of these injured at 36. Two youngsters had been additionally injured by a stun grenade thrown on them by Israeli police, with one among them being an 11-year-old woman who needed to be taken to the hospital.
Following the incident, police mentioned it was being investigated by the Justice Ministry unit that investigates police misconduct. The Israeli information outlet, Haaretz, nonetheless, has revealed that senior police officers have admitted the usage of extreme power and deem it to be an unwise motion.
Talking to the paper, one of many senior sources mentioned that “Shortly earlier than Ramadan, within the midst of vacation preparations, issues want to stay quiet at Damascus Gate. What was achieved, with your entire world watching a disabled woman injured by a stun grenade, with photographs of water cannons spraying ladies and kids?” The officers warned that “If there is not a right away change in strategy, these incidents will solely be a promo forward of Ramadan.”
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Clashes within the holy month of Ramadan are a typical incidence within the occupied Palestinian territories, particularly in Jerusalem, with Israeli forces typically implementing measures which restrict Muslim Palestinians’ potential 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 cause to take action,” the senior officer mentioned. “We must always allow them to have a good time 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 another way” this yr. Israel’s strikes to restrict the opportunity of battle this Ramadan had been additionally seen final month, when it was reported that Israeli police have determined to not erect obstacles at Damascus Gate.
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