Israeli police clash with Palestinian crowd in Jerusalem

Similar clashes have occurred nightly since the Muslim holy month of Ramadan began last week.

April 19, 2021 04:40 am | Updated 04:40 am IST - JERUSALEM

Israeli police clashed with hundreds of Palestinian protesters outside Jerusalem’s Old City on Sunday, firing stun grenades and a water cannon to disperse the crowd, Israeli media said.

Similar clashes have occurred nightly since the Muslim holy month of Ramadan began last week. Palestinians say they typically gather on the stairs outside the Old City’s Damascus Gate each evening during Ramadan but that this year Israeli police put up barriers to keep away the crowds.

The move has angered Muslims who like to meet at the plaza to pass the Ramadan nights after the daily dawn-to-dusk fast ends. Police accuse the crowds of disorderly conduct and throwing stones at security forces.

Israel’s public broadcaster Kan showed videos of large crowds clashing with police, who used stun grenades and sprayed water to disperse the gathering. Police said they had made at least three arrests, and the Palestinian Red Crescent medical service said four people were injured in the clashes. There were no immediate details on their conditions.

Israeli police also reported clashes with Arab crowds in Jaffa, on the southern edge of Tel Aviv. Police said crowds threw stones at police, slightly injuring two officers. Three arrests were made.

Ramadan is marked by dawn-to-dusk fasting and nightly feasts with family and friends, though crowded shoulder-to-shoulder gatherings in mosques and large gatherings for meals remain limited due to the continued spread of the coronavirus globally.

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.