Thousands of worshippers surge into Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque, 113 injured

[Mosby]

Source: Reuters

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Thousands of Muslim worshippers surged into Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque on Thursday and at least 113 were hurt in scuffles with police after Israel lifted security measures imposed at the sacred site in the face of days of violent protests.

Chaotic scenes unfolded as Israeli police used stun grenades to try to control crowds charging forward when the last gate Muslims use to enter Al-Aqsa was opened after a stand-off lasting several hours.

"We will sacrifice ourselves for Al-Aqsa!" chanted the throng outside Islam's third holiest shrine. Several young men clambered onto the mosque's roof to affix Palestinian flags, which Israeli police soon confiscated.

Israel's removal of the security devices, including metal detectors and CCTV cameras, marked a significant climbdown by right-wing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. While Palestinians celebrated, political opponents accused him of weakness.



Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-palestinians-idUSKBN1AC0UF

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[Plucketeer]

1. The lunacy

of religions.

[VermontKevin]

10. Over patches of sand. Sand.

[Plucketeer]

15. Indeed!

The "Promised Sand"

[leftynyc]

2. That was stupid of bibi

2 cops were killed and metal detectors are used all over the world at religious sites to keep out violence.

Now they want the Western Wall also:

“This is a proven fact, [even if] some people are trying to re-write history in order to strengthen their mistaken claim to legitimacy over al-Aqsa Mosque, as well as to the occupied al-Buraq Wall (the Western Wall), which Muslims demand to be returned to our sovereignty.”
Read more at https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/92212/temple-mount-victory-arabs-set-sights-western-wall/#W8rtO5bXWK14UyOp.99

https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/92212/temple-mount-victory-arabs-set-sights-western-wall/#UjWPeZW3KLQJRegh.97


People praying at the Wall today were pelted with rocks. My sister will be there tomorrow to see in Shabbat.

[Mosby]

3. I can't believe he caved either

Security at a site like this is standard, I was surprised there were not metal detectors there already.

Tell your sis to stay safe. Is this her first trip to Israel?

[leftynyc]

8. No - she's been there

several times. We spent 2 weeks there 2 years ago with her husband and my friend. This was a trip with a woman's group. There ARE detectors at the entrance to the Wall plaza but not on the Mount Have never understood that. Abbas has called for a day of terror today - after getting exactly what he wanted. That tells you all you need to know.

[Steven Maurer]

4. Guh. The decade of the tantrum continues

They need to let these clowns in in groups of 10. No more.

...and this is speaking as one who thinks "Bibi" is corrupt as all hell.

[Skittles]

5. idiots

[Mosby]

6. Clashes erupt as Palestinians declare victory over Israel in crisis over holy site

JERUSALEM — Palestinians declared a hard-won victory Thursday against what they saw as an attempt by Israel to limit access at their holiest site, the al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

Israel installed metal detectors at the gates to the sensitive shrine after three Israeli Arab gunmen killed two Israeli police officers there on July 14. Now, nearly two weeks later, the detectors and other extra security devices are being dismantled.

Jerusalem’s grand mufti, Mohammed Hussein, a spiritual leader and custodian of the mosque, urged Muslims on Thursday to return to their shrine for worship, declaring the crisis over.

Worshipers had refrained from entering the compound, praying on the streets outside instead.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/palestinians-declare-victory-over-israel-in-crisis-over-holy-site/2017/07/27/2c13684e-72d1-11e7-803f-a6c989606ac7_story.html

[Mosby]

7. Palestinians arrested after barricading selves in Al-Aqsa Mosque

Police arrested several Palestinian youths who barricaded themselves inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque following prayers there late Thursday night, as tensions surrounding the Temple Mount persisted after nearly two weeks of bloody clashes over security measures at the site.

The confrontation came following a day of fighting between police and Muslim worshipers at the holy site, after Muslim leaders said they would resume praying at the site as Israel rolled back security measures there, seemingly ending a high-stakes standoff over control of the sacred compound.

However, tensions remain high ahead of prayers Friday, with Israeli officials beefing up police and military presence in Jerusalem and the West Bank amid fears of clashes amid lingering Muslim anger over the episode.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/palestinians-arrested-after-barricading-themselves-in-al-aqsa-mosque/

[Sunlei]

9. Israel is in charge of security & Pals are in charge of mosque prayer crowds. both need work!

113 injured by crowd crush isn't decent crowd control.

[leftynyc]

11. Israel just tried to institute more security

Metal detectors and camera - tools used all over the world at religious sites for security reasons. All they got was more violence.

[Sunlei]

12. was the visual of the lines to metal detectors, pat downs & bag search..pissed people off.

They have different security measures now, not as visual. by 'decades old' treaty Israel is in charge of all security.

But Pals are in charge of crowd control and they need to have order in lines of people who want to pray in their mosque daily. It fills really fast so people push to get in first.

[leftynyc]

13. There are ALWAYS lines at the metal detectors

I even get wanded when I go to the freeking opera. Thankfully there are metal detectors at the Wall, I shudder to think what would be tried there otherwise (although they still manage to cause problems by not policing their own on top of the mount - today rocks were thrown at worshippers at the Wall). BTW - it's meaningless to have crowd control when Abbas openly called for a Day of Terror today. Anything to distract from the utter failure of leadership from both Fatah and hamas.

[Sunlei]

14. there's rocks everywhere. knives, slasher-people even worse or car rammers.

I don't know what can be done about rock throwers, have the Pals suggested anything?

They'll have to close the mosque again if they can't stop people from crowd stampedes and rock throwers.

[leftynyc]

16. Yes

They've suggested throwing more and bigger rocks.

[Sunlei]

17. perhaps people who throw rocks should be sprayed with NOT TOXIC dye. green people not allowed

in holy city zone. maybe that would work.