Palestinians Stone Western Wall Worshippers; Police Shut Temple Mount to non-Muslims

Elderly woman injured by rock at Western Wall in first such attack in several years on Jewish holy site, and third day of confrontations in and near the Temple Mount.

Nir Hasson

Jun 28, 2016

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Masked Palestinians gather during clashes with Israeli police during the holy month of Ramadan near The Dome of the Rock, in Jerusalem's Old City June 28, 2016.Credit: Ammar Awad, Reuters

Nir Hasson

Jun 28, 2016

Palestinians threw rocks at Jewish worshippers at the Western Wall on Tuesday, striking a woman of 73 in the head, on a third day of confrontations involving the adjacent Temple Mount.

Paramedics said they treated the woman at the scene for a light head injury.

It was the first case in several years of Palestinians throwing rocks from the Temple Mount at worshippers at the Western Wall, an incident which police see as a worrisome development.

Police arrested 11 masked protesters they said were involved in the clashes, including the hurling of stones at the Western Wall.

Earlier police decided in consultation with government officials to shut the Temple Mount to visits by non-Muslims through the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

Israeli police take cover as Palestinian protesters throw stones at them at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque compound during clashes between Israeli police and Muslims, on June 28, 2016.Credit: Ahmad Gharabli, AFP

Police have also reinforced deployment in the area as a preventive measure, as officers pursue dialogue with Waqf officials to try and maintain the peace.

There have been clashes for two days at the Temple Mount, home to Islam's third holiest site, Al-Aqsa mosque.

Several Palestinians were wounded by rubber-coated bullets shot to quell stone-throwing protests at Jewish visitors to the plaza on Monday.

A policeman, two Waqf officials and several Palestinian protesters were wounded in separate confrontations at the Temple Mount on Sunday, when police said Muslim protesters were holed up inside Al-Aqsa mosque with a stockpile of stones and other objects.

Police arrested five people, two Palestinian and three British tourists during the protests. Police said the tourists were removed from the Temple Mount and deported back to Britain.

Palestinian youth throw stones at Israeli border police during clashes at al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem Tuesday, June 28, 2016.Credit: Mahmoud Illean, AP

After years it prohibited non-Muslims visit the Temple Mount during Ramadan, police recently decided to allow it due to the relative calm in the compound during the first ten days of the Muslim holiday. However, immediately after it was opened to non-Muslims, Palestinian youth, some of them masked, started hurling stones at the visitors and policemen accompanying them.

After the initial confrontations police continued to allow non-Muslims to enter the Temple Mount, but only 18 Jews visited the holy site, along with 375 tourists.