Heavy Clashes Between Palestinian Youth, Police in East Jerusalem

Heavy clashes erupted in East Jerusalem's Shuafat refugee camp on Friday, after dozens of youths threw rocks at police and burned tires and trash bins.

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Earlier, a symbolic funeral procession was held for Shuafat refugee camp resident Ibrahim al-Akri, the man responsible for Wednesday's terror attack in Jerusalem.

Jerusalem saw disturbances in the east and in the Old City overnight and Friday morning, the Jerusalem police spokesman said, but police said worshipers dispersed quietly after Friday prayers.

Hamas on Thursday urged Palestinians throughout the West Bank to participate in marches at the end of afternoon prayers in order to “protect” Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque from the “Zionist siege.”

Overnight, police arrested man in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sur Baher, who was identified as the ring-leader of a group of masked men throwing stones and setting off firecrackers at officers, the police spokesman said. Two minors were also detained.

The man was later identified as 40-year-old Jamal Abu Gamel a former security detainee, who was released from prison in the Gilad Shalit swap deal. Jerusalem District Court extended his detention on Friday to Monday. The police intend to indict him.

In the Old City, on Friday morning there were clashes between youths and police in the Muslim Quarter. Police said the youths threw stones and firecrackers at forces and two people, including a minor, were arrested. One police officer was lightly wounded by a stone, and police found a store containing 13 packets of firecrackers.

In total, twelve were arrested Thursday night in disturbances in Jerusalem, the police said, with more than 200 arrested in the past two weeks.

Amid the tensions and the violence, police cancelled an event that was mean to take place in central Jerusalem on Saturday. On Friday night, however an event called "Just singing and eating," featuring Jewish and Arab artists, did take place in the center of the city. There was a heavy police presence at the event, which hundreds attended.