Israeli Police Clash With Worshippers at Al-Aqsa Mosque–Video

Israeli police stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in Jerusalem overnight Tuesday. They arrested hundreds of Palestinians and wounded others amid high tensions, sparking violence at the time of Ramadan and the start of Passover.

Israeli police said security forces entered the compound because of what it called masked agitators armed with fireworks, sticks, and stones. They had barricaded themselves in the mosque complex. But Palestinian leaders stated that the security forces then assaulted and arrested worshippers near-indiscriminately.

The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound is both the third holiest shrine in Islam and the most sacred site in Judaism—followers of which refer to the area as the Temple Mount—making it a constant flashpoint for Israeli-Palestinian tensions. Confrontations there have previously sparked larger conflicts between Israel and Palestinian militias in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

Videos of the clashes showed fireworks being set off inside the complex, Israeli security forces beating Palestinians, and then dozens of Palestinians detained face down with their hands bound behind their backs.

Israeli police tweeted that one officer was injured in the leg. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society told Newsweek that 12 people were injured, of whom three were taken to hospital. "The injuries varied between beatings, stun grenades, and rubber-coated metal bullets," the society said.

"Israeli occupation forces prevented the PRCS crews from entering the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque, despite the presence of many injuries inside the compound," the spokesperson said.

"While ambulances were prevented from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, one ambulance was hit with a stun grenade, which led to the smashing of the mirror on the side of the driver. The ambulance driver was also assaulted by pushing and beating, which led to his injury to the right foot. Rubber bullets were fired at another ambulance."

The society said Red Crescent teams later dealt with another 25 injured people released from Israeli detention after being arrested in the Al-Aqsa complex. Two of these individuals were hospitalized.

Tuesday's police action infuriated Palestinian leaders and groups, plus their backers abroad. Nabil Abu Rudeineh, the spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, warned Israeli "against crossing red lines at holy sites, which will lead to a big explosion."

"We hold the occupation government fully responsible for any deterioration, and it must act responsibly and stop this absurdity, which will have dangerous consequences for everyone," Rudeineh added in a statement carried by the Palestinian Authority (PA)'s official Wafa news agency.

Jordan—which heads the body administering the holy site—accused Israeli police of "storming" the area and wounding worshippers. The country's foreign ministry called on Israel to "immediately withdraw its police and special forces from the compound." Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry also condemned the action using similar language.

Tuesday night's raid was followed by rocket fire from the Gaza strip into Israel. Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told Newsweek in an emailed statement: "There were three waves of ten rockets; four were intercepted, five landed in open fields, and one fell near a factory in Sderot. No casualties were reported."

"The IDF responded by striking three sites and military posts belonging to the Hamas terrorist organisation in Gaza," Hagari said. "The IDF is on high alert in all areas. If Gaza attacks, the IDF will respond strongly. We are not interested in an escalation, but we are ready for any scenario."

The Hamas militia, which controls the Gaza Strip, described the Israeli action at the Temple Mount as "an unprecedented crime" and called on Palestinians "to go en masse to the Al-Aqsa Mosque to defend it."

Elsewhere, an Israeli soldier was reported injured in a shooting near the Palestinian West Bank city of Hebron. The IDF told Newsweek that the soldier "is currently receiving medical attention."

Tuesday and Wednesday's confrontations are set against a backdrop of surging Israeli-Palestinian violence. The Israeli military has adopted regular raids in Palestinian areas, and Palestinians are engaging in rioting and an increased rate of guerrilla attacks.

The Associated Press said that at least 88 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli action in 2023 to date, with 15 Israelis killed by Palestinian attacks over the same period.

Update 4/5/23, 6:10 a.m. ET: This article has been updated to include comment from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society.

Update 4/5/23, 11:10 a.m. ET: this article has been updated to include IDF comment.