JERUSALEM — After a night of violence in Jerusalem, Israeli cops made over 50 arrests and Palestinian medics stated 100 were hurt throughout Ramadan clashes in the objected to city at the core of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute.
From late Thursday night into early Friday, cops in riot equipment and on horseback combated to keep apart 2 groups of protesters — Palestinian youths tossing firecrackers and setting fire to trash bins, and ultra-nationalist Israelis shouting anti-Arab mottos.
Police released armored cars spraying foul-smelling skunk water towards the 2 groups — Palestinians collected around Jerusalem’s historical Damascus Gate and numerous conservative Israelis numerous hundred meters away.
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Clashes and other violent events in between Palestinians and Israelis have actually taken place nighttime considering that the start of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
Palestinians state cops have actually attempted to avoid them from holding their typical Ramadan night events outside Damascus Gate, an historic landmark on the north side of the Old City and nearby to numerous Palestinian communities.
Meanwhile, a video on social networks app TikTok claiming to reveal a Palestinian slapping an ultra-Orthodox Jewish guy on Jerusalem’s light rail train has actually drawn demonstrations by Israelis and calls by reactionary political leaders for harder cops action.
The events have actually threatened to break a continual duration of relative peaceful in the holy city.
On Thursday night, numerous ultra-nationalist Israelis — a lot of them young and spiritual — marched through main Jerusalem towards the Damascus Gate, which cops had actually barricaded as a preventative measure.
As they marched, numerous shouted “Death to Arabs” and some waved banners reading: “Death to terrorists.”
One individual, David, 40, stated he lived far from Jerusalem however “came here to support my own people,” including: “I’m Jewish and I’m a patriot and I’m proud of my country.”
Police fired skunk water at the Israelis, pressing them far from their position at the Old City’s New Gate — simply 600 meters far from Palestinians collected at Damascus Gate — and towards Jerusalem’s main Jaffa Road.
In a declaration in English, Hebrew and Arabic, the U.S. Embassy stated it was “deeply concerned” about the violence.
“We hope all responsible voices will promote an end to incitement, a return to calm, and respect for the safety and dignity of everyone in Jerusalem,” it stated.
The anti-Arab mottos appeared to draw a rebuke from reactionary Israeli political leader Itamar Ben-Gvir.
“I am against such chants,” he informed radio station 102 FM, while safeguarding the Jewish demonstrators’ right to demonstration.
He included: “There are many Arabs among us who are loyal. But I certainly think that those of them among us who lynch, who beat up, cause harm — they should be roughed up, they should be thrown out of here.”
Asked what he indicated by “roughed up,” Ben-Gvir stated it indicated prosecuting them and likewise “if we manage to pass legislation, also throwing them out of the country.”
As Palestinians heard reports of the Israeli crowd approaching, they collected near Damascus Gate with ambulances racing up and down congested backstreets with sirens blasting.
Police sealed the location to avoid the Israeli and Palestinian crowds from possibly conference. The Palestinians dragged trash bins, a few of them ablaze, into the roadways on their side to interfere with cops and obstruct them from their side. Some released little fireworks towards cops.
In all, cops stated they detained over 50 individuals overnight, without comparing Israelis and Palestinians. The Palestine Red Crescent stated 100 Palestinians had actually been hurt, with 21 required to healthcare facility however none major.
Israel declares all of Jerusalem, consisting of the eastern sector caught in the 1967 Middle East war, as its capital. Palestinians look for to make East Jerusalem, including its Muslim, Christian and Jewish holy websites, capital of a future state.
