Palestinians try to breach East Jerusalem checkpoint
IDF seals off West Bank for 48 hours; Israel forces arrest one Palestinian for assaulting police.
By News Agencies and Haaretz Service Tags: Ehud Barak Israel news East Jerusalem West BankPalestinian youths on Friday hurled stones at Israeli security forces near the Temple Mount compound in Jerusalem and tried to breach a barrier to gain entry to the area, which has been sealed off amid concerns over violence.
Police Commissioner Dudi Cohen on Friday discussed the increased police presence in the area saying, "The deployment of police and extra security forces in Jerusalem at this hour is in line with the situation."
Police forces managed to prevent the youths from breaching the Ras el-Amoud checkpoint near East Jerusalem, and one Palestinian was arrested after he assaulted a police officer.
Four other Palestinians were detained on suspicion of throwing stones and two officers were slightly injured in Jerusalem, a police spokesman said. Reuters journalists saw one protester treated by medics.
As hundreds of youths streamed away from noon prayers at a mosque in the district of Ras el-Amoud, a Reuters journalist saw men hurl stones at a car carrying Orthodox Jewish children. One rock smashed a side window, but there were no obvious injuries.
Islamists in the blockaded Gaza Strip rallied supporters to protest at Israel's policies in Jerusalem: "We will redeem al-Aqsa mosque with our souls and our blood," the crowd chanted.
As demonstrators burned U.S. and Israeli flags, Khalil al-Hayya, a leader of the Hamas movement which rules Gaza, urged Hamas' rival, West Bank-based Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, to reverse his decision to engage in "proximity talks" with Israel through U.S. mediators after a hiatus of 15 months.
"These direct and indirect negotiations provide a cover to the Zionist aggression against our people and our lands," Hayya told the crowd. "Our angry people now are calling on the Palestinian negotiator to back off from these negotiations which encourage more settlements and the Judaization of Jerusalem."
Defense Minister Ehud Barak on hursday ordered the Israel Defense Forces to impose a general closure on the West Bank, preventing Palestinians from entering Israel.
Barak said only patients, medical staff, religious workers and teachers with special permits to pass through army roadblocks on key access roads.
"The IDF will continue to operate in order to protect the citizens of Israel while maintaining the quality of life of the Palestinian population in the area," it said in a statement.
The West Bank will be sealed off for 48 hours, and the closure will be lifted on Saturday at midnight.
Police say only men over 50 will be allowed to pray Friday at the Temple Mount, while no limitations were placed on women.
Also on Friday, hundreds of Palestinians hurled stones at Israel Border Police to protest Israel's separation fence in villages near Ramallah.
On Tuesday, the Interior Ministry announced its decision to authorize 1,600 more housing units in the ultra-Orthodox neighborhood of Ramat Shlomo in East Jerusalem. The announcement created a diplomatic uproar and received stark condemnation from visiting United States Vice President Joe Biden.
There have been clashes after Friday prayers at mosques in Jerusalem and elsewhere in recent weeks, sparked by deadlock in peace talks and Israel's inclusion of two West Bank shrines on a list of national heritage sites.
On Friday last week, youths hurled rocks from the Temple Mount, on which the al-Aqsa Mosque stands, at Jewish worshippers praying at the Wailing Wall beneath the elevated compound.
Police responded by storming the open-air plateau to disperse the protesting crowd and some 60 Palestinians were treated for the effects of teargas, while 15 policemen were lightly wounded by stones.
Several Palestinians have been badly wounded and dozens of protesters and Israeli policemen have suffered light injuries.
The closure began at midnight Thursday and will end at midnight Saturday.
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The Palestinians need no protection. They are the aggressor, constantly. All Israeli action are meant to defend her citizens. Got it ?
Building houses is an obstacle toward peace? Give me a break. Violence is the only obstacle toward peace. Sometimes justice has to wait until things mellow out. Too bad things still haven't mellowed out in those parts after all this time.
Settlers?
SD Writes:"The alternative would of course be to accept compromise" Well Israel has accepted the two state solution since 1947, for over 60 years. It would seem it's the Arabs who need to compromise! As you state in your post but that"of course require an intelligent and rational people." So far Israel has had no such luck, have they? As we all know Israel has one stated goal to live within recognized borders in peace with its neighbors. Hamas, the elected government of the Palestinians have stated recently they still want to destroy Israel and refuse to recognize its right to exist. Very "rational" of them.
for every action there is a reaction. The Israeli authorities will do what they see fit to protect Israelis and visitors to the Western Wall. If the men over 50 yrs old and the women hurl stones this week then they too will be barred.
If we let it get ouf hand like Barak did in 2000, we'll end up with a similar bloody situation. We need to put this down as soon as possible, employing as much force as is required- or more.
And Israel fakely acts like it wants peace! Acting like this in the middle of the peace deal. It doesn't want peace. In fact, Israel wants violence and war.
If you wanna keep future trouble out of your country, you will need a wall at least as tall as the Burj Khalifa building (828 m.) along your borders. The alternative would of course be to accept compromise (also on East-Jerusalem) and make peace.... ....but such a step would of course require an intelligent and rational people. Are you...???
Seems like the current Israeli policies are driving the country further and further away from peace.
expect more riots to come, leading up to a third Intifada which will be funded and run by Iran. unless Israel changes it's policy.
Sealing off the Weat Bank should be a permanent affair, along with the settlers.
"The IDF Spokesperson's Office has said that the IDF will continue to operate in order to protect the citizens of Israel while maintaining the quality of life of the Palestinian population in the area. " Given the quality of life in the West Bank this is almost a threat ...