International condemnations increase this Wednesday after the acts of violence in the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, where the Israeli police intervened to evict the Palestinian faithful, in the middle of the season of religious festivities.
Clad in riot gear, Israeli police entered the mosque, one of the world’s most iconic Muslim places of worship, overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday and arrested more than 350 people who had barricaded themselves there, called “rioters.”
UN chief ‘shocked and horrified’
This comes as Muslims have reached the middle of Ramadan and Jews have been celebrating Passover since Wednesday night, in a particularly tense atmosphere between Israelis and Palestinians since the beginning of the year.
UN chief Antonio Guterres said he was “shocked and appalled” by the “violence and beatings” by Israeli security forces, according to his spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric.
Saying he was “appalled” by images of violence in Al-Aqsa, UN Middle East envoy Tor Wennesland also called “blind rocket attacks” “unacceptable.”
The third holiest site in Islam, the Esplanade des Mosques is also the holiest site for Jews, who call it “Temple Mount.” It is located in East Jerusalem, a Palestinian area occupied and annexed by Israel, and its surroundings are heavily guarded by the Israeli police.
Source: BFM TV
