Thousands of Palestinians performed prayers in the streets and alleyways of the Old City of Jerusalem on Friday after men under the age of 50 were prevented by Israeli occupation troops from entering al-Aqsa mosque.
Thousands of Palestinians performed prayers in the streets and alleyways of the Old City of Jerusalem on Friday after men under the age of 50 were prevented by Israeli occupation troops from entering al-Aqsa mosque.
Hundreds of Israeli occupation police and special forces were deployed throughout Jerusalem streets to prevent Muslim worshipers from reaching the holy site.
Crowds performed prayers in the streets of the many Palestinian neighborhoods that lead out from the Old City including Ras al-Amud, Wadi al-Jouz, Salah al-Din, and al-Musrara.
Israeli occupation forces detained two Palestinians in the Damascus Gate area after assaulting them.
In Ras al-Amud neighborhood, meanwhile, Israeli occupation forces fired stun grenades at worshipers as they finished prayers in order to disperse them, while Palestinians responded by throwing rocks at soldiers.
Tensions also soared in the Wadi al-Jouz area as Israeli occupation forces deployed heavily in the alleyways of the neighborhood and Palestinian youths threw rocks and fireworks at soldiers.
Clashes erupted in the al-Issawiya neighborhood near the Hebrew University in East Jerusalem as well.
Witnesses said that Israeli occupation forces assaulted young worshipers as they attempted to enter the Old City through Damascus Gate to pray morning prayers earlier on Friday, and as a result dozens of Palestinians performed morning prayers at the gates surrounding the compound.
'First line of defense' for Al-Aqsa
The clashes on Friday follow days of tensions between Israeli forces and Muslim worshipers as the Zionist troops have repeatedly limited access to the holy site.
Clashes have broken out and dozens have been detained as Israeli police escorted Israeli groups to the site while preventing Muslims from entering. The groups include a number of Israeli leaders who have expressed their desire to tear down the Al-Aqsa Mosque and build a temple in its place.
On Wednesday alone, 17 Palestinians were detained in clashes with Israeli occupation forces around the mosque.
Palestinian security guards at the Al-Aqsa mosque organized a sit-in in the mosque courtyard on Friday in solidarity with a guard who was among those detained by Israeli occupation forces.
