Israeli police have closed the entrances to Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy site after Palestinian suspects threw a firebomb at a police station.
There were no injuries reported from the firebombing. But police quickly deployed across the hilltop compound, scuffling with Palestinians in the area, as they searched for the assailants.
Three suspects were arrested, and police were seen wrestling a woman to the ground.
The incident further heightened tensions at the site, which is revered by Jews as the Temple Mount and by Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary.
The spot, home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and gold-topped Dome of the Rock, is a frequent flashpoint of violence.
After the incident, Israeli police sealed off entrances to the compound. Police also restricted entrance to the Old City, home to Jerusalem’s most important religious sites, allowing only residents to pass through certain entrances to the Muslim and Christian quarters. Other entrances to the Old City remained open.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas denounced the “dangerous Israeli escalation” and warned of “serious repercussions”. In a statement, he called on the international community to intervene.
Read the article by Ilan Ben Zion in the Western Advocate.