More than twenty people were injured, this Sunday, April 17, during clashes between Palestinians and Israelis on and around the esplanade of the Mosques, in Jerusalem. After violent clashes on Friday, young Palestinian demonstrators wanted to protest this time, at the opening, on this festive day, of the esplanade to Jewish visitors.
With our correspondent in Jerusalem, Michael Paul
For the second time in 48 hours, the Israeli police force entered the esplanade of the Mosques this Sunday, in the old city of Jerusalem.
She used rubber bullets, tear gas and stun grenades to push back a few hundred demonstrators, many of whom were masked and armed with iron bars.
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What caused this renewed tension was the opening of the site, which houses the third holiest site in Islam, to Jewish visitors, on this feast day for the three religions: Easter, Passover and the fast of Ramadan.
These clashes left more than twenty wounded on the Palestinian side. Several dozen demonstrators were apprehended by Israeli security forces.
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These new clashes come as Israel decided to lift the hermetic closure of the West Bank and Gaza, imposed on the first day of Passover.
This tension could have political consequences in Israel. The Islamic Ra’am party could suspend its participation in the coalition, which would deal a fatal blow to the government of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.