On April 15, at least 152 Palestinians were injured in clashes with the Israeli police at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque. This is not the first time that this holy site has seen violence.
The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound has been the most sensitive site in the Israel-Palestine conflict.
The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound is referred to as Temple Mount by Jews. It is a holy site for both Islam and Judaism.
The Al-Aqsa compound houses the Masjid al-Aqsa mosque, an Islamic shrine called the Dome of the Rock, the four minarets, and the gates of the compound.
Masjid al-Aqsa, or the farthest mosque, is the third most important site for the followers of Islam. As per the Islamic scriptures, this is the place where Prophet Muhammad reached at the end of his night journey, or Isra, from the sacred mosque of Makkah.
On the same night, the Prophet is believed to have ascended to heaven with archangel Gabriel from the place where the Dome of the Rock now stands. The mosque hosts daily prayers and large gatherings for Friday prayers.
For the Jews, the Temple Mount is believed to be the site of the first and the second biblical temples.
The Western or Wailing Wall, atop which the Temple Mount compound stands, is the only part of the biblical temple that remains. Jews from Israel and across the globe visit this holy site.
In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Israel occupied the Old City and annexed East Jerusalem, which houses the al-Aqsa mosque. Israel now controls access for Muslims to the compound.
While Jews are allowed to visit the compound, they are not allowed to pray there.
This site has seen multiple violent clashes over the years. In May 2021, clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police left 205 Palestinians and 12 officers injured.
This month, the Islamic holy month of Ramzan and the Jewish holiday of Passover coincided. There was already tension in the area due to a series of street attacks on Israelis in March, reportedly by Palestinian and Arab assailants.
On April 15, clashes broke out when Palestinian worshippers gathered in the compound for Friday prayers. Israeli forces said hundreds of Palestinians hurled firecrackers and stones at them and at the Western Wall.
They said the forces tried to restore calm to let other peaceful worshippers disperse. Two days later, similar clashes took place, leaving 17 Palestinians injured.
After the clashes, the Israeli police accused Palestinians of “defiling and desecrating” the holy site. While Palestinian officials accused Israel of attempting to divide the holy site
Observers fear that clashes here can give rise to a larger conflict — a third Palestinian Intifada or uprising. Clashes in the compound are what led to the Second Intifada in the year 2000 when former President of Israel Ariel Sharon and a delegation visited the site with Israeli riot police.
This resulted in violent clashes and a crackdown by the police that left many dead.
