From a quiet Jerusalem neighbourhood, Sheikh Jarrah has become a global flashpoint - with protests against the forced eviction of Palestinians.

West Asia Post: The story of Sheikh Jarrah

The new Israeli government is implementing a historic resolution. The Egalitarian prayer section will be created at the southern end of the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

New Israel govt to approve Western Wall egalitarian prayer section frozen by Netanyahu

Israel Police on Sunday arrested a prominent activist who campaigned against threatened expulsion of Palestinian families from homes in Sheikh Jarrah, neighbourhood in east Jerusalem.

Mona el-Kurd (23) was taken away for questioning. The police left a summons for her brother Muhammad.&nbsp; 
The family's lawyer, Nasser Odeh, said police charged Mona el-Kurd with "acts that disturb peace and order" and "riotous acts".

The footage of her being handcuffed and taken away was shared widely on social media.

Hamas, the Islamist group that controls the Palestinian enclave of Gaza, responded by launching volleys of rockets towards Israel on May 10, triggering an 11-day war between the Jewish state and Palestinian militants.

While Palestinians and their backers see the issue as a microcosm of the wider conflict over land, Jewish settlers and their supporters have labelled it a property dispute to be decided by Israeli courts.

Looming evictions

The el-Kurd twins, whose family is currently under threat of losing their home, have led an active protest movement on the streets and online.

They have gained more than 180,000 Twitter follower, and more than half a million on Instagram, using the hashtags #SheikhJarrah and #SaveSheikhJarrah to bring their neighbourhood's plight global attention.&nbsp;

Their father, who spoke to AFP in front of the police station, dubbed his daughter's arrest part of "an operation to terrorise the parents, because the voice that emerged from the neighbourhood was thanks to its youth".

He said his son Muhammad had been away teaching in the West Bank city of Ramallah but was on his way back to cooperate with the police summons.

Police did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment.

(With inputs from agencies)

Israel Police on Sunday arrested a prominent activist who campaigned against threatened expulsion of Palestinian families from homes in Sheikh Jarrah, neighbourhood in east Jerusalem.

Israel Police on Sunday arrested a prominent activist who campaigned against threatened expulsion of Palestinian families from homes in Sheikh Jarrah, neighbourhood in east Jerusalem. Mona el-Kurd (23) was taken away for questioning. The police left a summons for her brother Muhammad. The family's lawyer, Nasser Odeh, said police charged Mona el-Kurd with "acts that disturb peace and order" and "riotous acts". The footage of her being handcuffed and taken away was shared widely on social media. Hamas, the Islamist group that controls the Palestinian enclave of Gaza, responded by launching volleys of rockets towards Israel on May 10, triggering an 11-day war between the Jewish state and Palestinian militants. While Palestinians and their backers see the issue as a microcosm of the wider conflict over land, Jewish settlers and their supporters have labelled it a property dispute to be decided by Israeli courts. Looming evictions The el-Kurd twins, whose family is currently under threat of losing their home, have led an active protest movement on the streets and online. They have gained more than 180,000 Twitter follower, and more than half a million on Instagram, using the hashtags #SheikhJarrah and #SaveSheikhJarrah to bring their neighbourhood's plight global attention. Their father, who spoke to AFP in front of the police station, dubbed his daughter's arrest part of "an operation to terrorise the parents, because the voice that emerged from the neighbourhood was thanks to its youth". He said his son Muhammad had been away teaching in the West Bank city of Ramallah but was on his way back to cooperate with the police summons. Police did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment. (With inputs from agencies)

Israeli police arrest Palestinian activist in flashpoint district of Jerusalem

Love language: Jerusalem celebrates Pride under strict security

The Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site in Islam. But its location is also the holiest site in Judaism - known as the Temple Mount. While Al-Aqsa has been an Arab-Israeli fuse over the years, it has become a crucial flashpoint in the Israel-Palestine conflict this time.

Israel-Palestine clashes: Jews return to flashpoint site

Palestine's envoy to India Adnan Mohammad Jaber&nbsp;Abualhayjaa&nbsp;has said that his government has been&nbsp;'working for the ceasefire from the first day'&nbsp;when it comes to the ongoing situation with Israel.

According to him,&nbsp;over 200 people have lost lives in West Bank and Gaza due to actions&nbsp;of&nbsp;Israel.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Speaking to WION&nbsp;Diplomatic Correspondent Sidhant Sibal exclusively, Amb Adnan&nbsp;Abualhayjaa&nbsp;hoped that India won't make reference to Temple Mount, as it is&nbsp;'encouraging Israelis in the manner which may lead to religious war'.

Temple Mount, which is the holiest site in Judaism, is known to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif, the third holiest site in Islam after Mecca and Medina.&nbsp;

He also condoled the death of Indian&nbsp;national Soumya Santhosh.

Santhosh,&nbsp;a caregiver,&nbsp;died in Israel's Ashkelon in a rocket strike&nbsp;and&nbsp;is survived by&nbsp;nine-year-old son and husband.

This is his first-ever interview amid the ongoing escalating violence between Israel and Palestine. The fighting began&nbsp;after violence&nbsp;erupted&nbsp;in Jerusalem and possible eviction of Palestinians in the Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan&nbsp;neighbourhood.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

WION: What is the current situation when it comes to the ongoing conflict?&nbsp;Will&nbsp;you&nbsp;call it a full-scale war?&nbsp;

Adnan Mohammad Jaber: The current situation in Palestine is mainly for&nbsp;two&nbsp;reasons. First is the occupation, as long as the occupation continues. Who is ignoring the Oslo Agreement, who is ignoring all the agreements with Palestinian authorities, who is killing, jailing every day in the West Bank, restricting the movement of Palestinian people via the 600 military checkpoints, is controlling 60% of the west bank, restricting the people's movement, controlling tax money of Palestinians, refusing elections in&nbsp;Jerusalem?

Secondly, there was the&nbsp;fourth election in Israel and&nbsp;Netanyahu&nbsp;has failed to form a government. Netanyahu&nbsp;knows&nbsp;how to make problems, so he started&nbsp;telling&nbsp;the right-wing of the Israelis to go to Al Aqsa to restrict the worshippers from&nbsp;praying.

Before it became&nbsp;a&nbsp;military&nbsp;issue, it was the issue of Al Aqsa and Sheikh Jarrah area where they want to displace 28 families living in their houses for 70 years. He wants to put obstacles in forming the government, so he has started with these problems because if other parties are able to form the government, Netanyahu, because of corruption, might go to jail.&nbsp;

Surely,&nbsp;it's a war, and a very bad war&nbsp;because the victims&nbsp;of this war&nbsp;are&nbsp;civilians&nbsp;mainly. We are on the eighgth day of the war and we have lost 218 people in the West Bank and Gaza, more than 5,600 people have been injured. In the West Bank,&nbsp;there are&nbsp;no weapons&nbsp;with Palestinian people, no rockets, nothing.&nbsp;250 of the wounded&nbsp;got injured&nbsp;due to&nbsp;the metal bombs. Israelis are&nbsp;committing war crimes on both sides, in Gaza and in the West Bank.&nbsp;Hope it will end soon.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

WION: How do you think the international community can support Palestine?&nbsp;

Adnan Mohammad Jaber: Israel is an exact copy of South Africa during the apartheid time. We live in an apartheid regime in Palestine.

There are&nbsp;two&nbsp;kinds of&nbsp;laws in Israel. There is a law for the Jewish people&nbsp;and&nbsp;there is a law for a Palestinians,&nbsp;who have&nbsp;Israeli nationality and there is another law, the military law for Palestinian people living in the occupied area, West Bank, including Jerusalem and Gaza&nbsp;Strip.

The international community could help a lot, first of all, they should boycott Israel, exactly as South Africa had&nbsp;been boycotted. Secondly, Americans should stop&nbsp;pressurising&nbsp;other countries to&nbsp;not&nbsp;take action against Israel. Many of the European countries&nbsp;want&nbsp;to&nbsp;take action&nbsp;but don’t act due to&nbsp;American pressure. Hope&nbsp;there will be real pressure from the international community to follow the United Nations&nbsp;resolution. Israel is the only country&nbsp;in the world which is over the international community.&nbsp;Not just&nbsp;UN resolutions, they refuse everything. Hundreds of resolutions, from the security council to the general assembly of the UN. It is the only country that can refuse everything.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

WION: Will Palestinian authorities call for a ceasefire?&nbsp;

Adnan Mohammad Jaber: We&nbsp;were&nbsp;in the beginning&nbsp;and&nbsp;had talks with some Arab countries like Egypt. Because Egypt normally coordinates in these matters. With&nbsp;Qatar...&nbsp;we spoke with France, Britain. Our foreign minister was in Europe, he was working hard with the European Union for the ceasefire. From the first day, we started to work on the ceasefire. We called on the security council, to have a resolution for the ceasefire. But&nbsp;three&nbsp;times, Americans refused, including on Sunday.&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;

WION: Then there is the issue of Hamas's rocket attacks, something that has been condemned globally...&nbsp;

Adnan Mohammad Jaber: First of all,&nbsp;let me present my condolences for that lady who passed away in Israel. We feel sorry that we have lost one Indian in this conflict. So,&nbsp;my condolences to the Indian people and her family.

Secondly, the rockets of Hamas are a reaction, not an action. The main thing is the occupation. I am&nbsp;ok&nbsp;with destroying all weapons&nbsp;and&nbsp;Israel and Palestine not using weapons. When we signed the Oslo agreement, we signed it to live side by side in peace, security, coordinate in everything together as&nbsp;neighbours. Since that time, 1993, up to now, Israel is refusing everything, destroying everything. I think we will go to the question of&nbsp;two&nbsp;state solutions and they are destroying&nbsp;two&nbsp;state solutions. Rockets is a reaction, and hope,&nbsp;we won't see any aggression on the Palestinian people in Gaza and West Bank.&nbsp;

WION: Can President Mahmoud Abbas prevail over Hamas, and is Hamas trying to exploit political space?&nbsp;

Adnan Mohammad Jaber: President Mahmoud Abbas&nbsp;is&nbsp;in connection with the leaders of Hamas&nbsp;and&nbsp;was working for the ceasefire from the first day. Any war&nbsp;inflicts damages on&nbsp;both sides.&nbsp;You need to control the Israelis and their crimes, otherwise, we will see another war. Without&nbsp;the&nbsp;end&nbsp;of&nbsp;this occupation,&nbsp;difficult&nbsp;for&nbsp;neighbours&nbsp;to live side by side, according to the international resolutions.&nbsp;Agreements have been signed with the Israelis,&nbsp;but&nbsp;there is no security in the area at all.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;

WION: Is Hamas trying to use the political vacuum in Gaza, West Bank vis a vis the election schedule?&nbsp;

Adnan Mohammad Jaber: We are a democratic state,&nbsp;and have&nbsp;democratic institutions. If Hamas via elections, takes&nbsp;advantage and wins&nbsp;the election,&nbsp;we have no problem. Let Hamas control the country. They are the main party of the Palestinian&nbsp;people,&nbsp;they have a political department as the&nbsp;organisation. If they win the elections, we will welcome that and we will give them the authority. we have no&nbsp;problem,&nbsp;this is a democracy.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

WION: How do you see India's statement at the UNSC? New Delhi reiterated its&nbsp;'strong support to the just Palestinian cause and its unwavering commitment to the&nbsp;two-state&nbsp;solution".&nbsp;

Adnan Mohammad Jaber: India is&nbsp;a&nbsp;very close friend&nbsp;of&nbsp;Palestine and I would like to thank Indian&nbsp;government for&nbsp;strongly supporting&nbsp;the cause of the Palestinian people.

Only one thing, there is something which I have seen in the statement, which is Al Masjid Al Aqsa/Temple Mount,&nbsp;which is a new expression. Al-Masjid Al Aqsa since the British was nominated to rule&nbsp;by&nbsp;Palestine.&nbsp;In&nbsp;1929,&nbsp;a mission had come from the United Nations after some conflict between the Palestinian Muslims and Jews at that time. They checked everything in Al Aqsa and said Al Aqsa is a Muslim place and Jewish people pray near the wall. It was like that without any problem. Secondly, Al&nbsp;Aqsa mosque&nbsp;is registered in UNESCO as a Muslim place.

So,&nbsp;hope this&nbsp;is not&nbsp;used again&nbsp;as&nbsp;encouraging Israelis in that matter will lead to religious war,&nbsp;which is not acceptable to anyone. India is supporting Palestine&nbsp;and&nbsp;we thank them very much, not only&nbsp;on the political&nbsp;level,&nbsp;but they also helped in many other things,&nbsp;such as&nbsp;building hospitals, schools, diplomatic institutions, women empowerment centers,&nbsp;so&nbsp;they help Palestine in many ways.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

WION:&nbsp;What is&nbsp;current situation of the Covid crisis when it comes to the Palestinian territories.&nbsp;

Adnan Mohammad Jaber: Now,&nbsp;a little bit better. Last month, before it was very bad, still a little bit better but we don't have enough vaccines to say the truth. It's not bad, these days at least. It is much better than&nbsp;two&nbsp;months ago.&nbsp;

Palestine's envoy to India Adnan Mohammad Jaber Abualhayjaa has said that his government has been 'working for the ceasefire from the first day' when it comes to the ongoing situation with Israel.

Palestine's envoy to India Adnan Mohammad Jaber Abualhayjaa has said that his government has been 'working for the ceasefire from the first day' when it comes to the ongoing situation with Israel. According to him, over 200 people have lost lives in West Bank and Gaza due to actions of Israel. Speaking to WION Diplomatic Correspondent Sidhant Sibal exclusively, Amb Adnan Abualhayjaa hoped that India won't make reference to Temple Mount, as it is 'encouraging Israelis in the manner which may lead to religious war'. Temple Mount, which is the holiest site in Judaism, is known to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif, the third holiest site in Islam after Mecca and Medina. He also condoled the death of Indian national Soumya Santhosh. Santhosh, a caregiver, died in Israel's Ashkelon in a rocket strike and is survived by nine-year-old son and husband. This is his first-ever interview amid the ongoing escalating violence between Israel and Palestine. The fighting began after violence erupted in Jerusalem and possible eviction of Palestinians in the Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan neighbourhood. WION: What is the current situation when it comes to the ongoing conflict? Will you call it a full-scale war? Adnan Mohammad Jaber: The current situation in Palestine is mainly for two reasons. First is the occupation, as long as the occupation continues. Who is ignoring the Oslo Agreement, who is ignoring all the agreements with Palestinian authorities, who is killing, jailing every day in the West Bank, restricting the movement of Palestinian people via the 600 military checkpoints, is controlling 60% of the west bank, restricting the people's movement, controlling tax money of Palestinians, refusing elections in Jerusalem? Secondly, there was the fourth election in Israel and Netanyahu has failed to form a government. Netanyahu knows how to make problems, so he started telling the right-wing of the Israelis to go to Al Aqsa to restrict the worshippers from praying. Before it became a military issue, it was the issue of Al Aqsa and Sheikh Jarrah area where they want to displace 28 families living in their houses for 70 years. He wants to put obstacles in forming the government, so he has started with these problems because if other parties are able to form the government, Netanyahu, because of corruption, might go to jail. Surely, it's a war, and a very bad war because the victims of this war are civilians mainly. We are on the eighgth day of the war and we have lost 218 people in the West Bank and Gaza, more than 5,600 people have been injured. In the West Bank, there are no weapons with Palestinian people, no rockets, nothing. 250 of the wounded got injured due to the metal bombs. Israelis are committing war crimes on both sides, in Gaza and in the West Bank. Hope it will end soon. WION: How do you think the international community can support Palestine? Adnan Mohammad Jaber: Israel is an exact copy of South Africa during the apartheid time. We live in an apartheid regime in Palestine. There are two kinds of laws in Israel. There is a law for the Jewish people and there is a law for a Palestinians, who have Israeli nationality and there is another law, the military law for Palestinian people living in the occupied area, West Bank, including Jerusalem and Gaza Strip. The international community could help a lot, first of all, they should boycott Israel, exactly as South Africa had been boycotted. Secondly, Americans should stop pressurising other countries to not take action against Israel. Many of the European countries want to take action but don’t act due to American pressure. Hope there will be real pressure from the international community to follow the United Nations resolution. Israel is the only country in the world which is over the international community. Not just UN resolutions, they refuse everything. Hundreds of resolutions, from the security council to the general assembly of the UN. It is the only country that can refuse everything. WION: Will Palestinian authorities call for a ceasefire? Adnan Mohammad Jaber: We were in the beginning and had talks with some Arab countries like Egypt. Because Egypt normally coordinates in these matters. With Qatar... we spoke with France, Britain. Our foreign minister was in Europe, he was working hard with the European Union for the ceasefire. From the first day, we started to work on the ceasefire. We called on the security council, to have a resolution for the ceasefire. But three times, Americans refused, including on Sunday. WION: Then there is the issue of Hamas's rocket attacks, something that has been condemned globally... Adnan Mohammad Jaber: First of all, let me present my condolences for that lady who passed away in Israel. We feel sorry that we have lost one Indian in this conflict. So, my condolences to the Indian people and her family. Secondly, the rockets of Hamas are a reaction, not an action. The main thing is the occupation. I am ok with destroying all weapons and Israel and Palestine not using weapons. When we signed the Oslo agreement, we signed it to live side by side in peace, security, coordinate in everything together as neighbours. Since that time, 1993, up to now, Israel is refusing everything, destroying everything. I think we will go to the question of two state solutions and they are destroying two state solutions. Rockets is a reaction, and hope, we won't see any aggression on the Palestinian people in Gaza and West Bank. WION: Can President Mahmoud Abbas prevail over Hamas, and is Hamas trying to exploit political space? Adnan Mohammad Jaber: President Mahmoud Abbas is in connection with the leaders of Hamas and was working for the ceasefire from the first day. Any war inflicts damages on both sides. You need to control the Israelis and their crimes, otherwise, we will see another war. Without the end of this occupation, difficult for neighbours to live side by side, according to the international resolutions. Agreements have been signed with the Israelis, but there is no security in the area at all. WION: Is Hamas trying to use the political vacuum in Gaza, West Bank vis a vis the election schedule? Adnan Mohammad Jaber: We are a democratic state, and have democratic institutions. If Hamas via elections, takes advantage and wins the election, we have no problem. Let Hamas control the country. They are the main party of the Palestinian people, they have a political department as the organisation. If they win the elections, we will welcome that and we will give them the authority. we have no problem, this is a democracy. WION: How do you see India's statement at the UNSC? New Delhi reiterated its 'strong support to the just Palestinian cause and its unwavering commitment to the two-state solution". Adnan Mohammad Jaber: India is a very close friend of Palestine and I would like to thank Indian government for strongly supporting the cause of the Palestinian people. Only one thing, there is something which I have seen in the statement, which is Al Masjid Al Aqsa/Temple Mount, which is a new expression. Al-Masjid Al Aqsa since the British was nominated to rule by Palestine. In 1929, a mission had come from the United Nations after some conflict between the Palestinian Muslims and Jews at that time. They checked everything in Al Aqsa and said Al Aqsa is a Muslim place and Jewish people pray near the wall. It was like that without any problem. Secondly, Al Aqsa mosque is registered in UNESCO as a Muslim place. So, hope this is not used again as encouraging Israelis in that matter will lead to religious war, which is not acceptable to anyone. India is supporting Palestine and we thank them very much, not only on the political level, but they also helped in many other things, such as building hospitals, schools, diplomatic institutions, women empowerment centers, so they help Palestine in many ways. WION: What is current situation of the Covid crisis when it comes to the Palestinian territories. Adnan Mohammad Jaber: Now, a little bit better. Last month, before it was very bad, still a little bit better but we don't have enough vaccines to say the truth. It's not bad, these days at least. It is much better than two months ago.

Working on ceasefire, says Palestine's envoy; Hopes India won't make reference to 'Temple Mount', condoles death of Indian national

Crusades, Wars & Uprisings. Jerusalem has seen it all. It's called the city of peace yet remains in conflict. What makes this 'holy land' so contested? Palki Sharma explains.

Gravitas Plus: The Story of Jerusalem

Israel and Gaza are on the brink of war. In the last 24 hours, over 1000 rockets were fired into Israel. Buildings have been torn down in Gaza by Israeli airstrikes. The conflict has claimed at least 50 people, including an Indian national. Palki Sharma has the details.

Gravitas: Violence escalates between Israel, Gaza

Thousand of Palestinian Muslims gathered at Al-Aqsa compound to take part in prayers marking the end of holy month of Ramzan amid the increased tension and cross-border conflict between Israel and Hamas. Muslim worshipers performed the Eid al-Fitr prayers in front of the dome of the rock mosque at the Al-Aqsa compound in Jerusalem.

Palestinians gathered at Al-Aqsa to celebrate Eid amid Israel-Hamas conflict

Israel & Hamas continue to exchange rocket fire as civilians suffer. The question of who is right & who isn't has gone up the smoke. Palki Sharma tells you why.

Gravitas: Israel & Hamas exchange rocket fire

49 people have been killed in Gaza and 6 in Israel in the most intensive aerial exchanges for years. Israel carried out hundreds of air strikes in Gaza into the early hours of Wednesday, as the Islamist group and other Palestinian militants fired multiple rocket barrages at Tel Aviv and Beersheba.

Israel-Hamas violence escalates: 49 Palestinians, 6 Israelis killed

How Israel's Iron Dome missile defence system intercepts rockets fired by Hamas

Amid the escalating conflict between Israel and Gaza, the Deputy Ambassador of Israel in India Rony Yedidia Clein said "we are not targeting residential homes, but terrorist infrastructure". She also added "we are not going to stop defending our citizens, we are acting against terrorist organisations—Hamas and Islamic Jihad—and we are neutralising terrorist infrastructures."

We are not targeting residential homes, but terrorist infrastructure says Rony Yedidia

The UN Security Council will hold another emergency meeting to discuss the escalating conflict between Israel and Gaza. The closed-door meeting has been requested by the Tunisia, Norway and China. The first held on Monday ended without a joint statement.

UNSC to hold meeting over Israel-Palestine conflict

Jerusalem is a city under siege and not for the first time.

From stories in the Bible to UN resolutions, it is a city forged in conflict. It has seen crusades, intifadas and now those faultlines have been ignited again.

Watch:

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The streets in Jerusalem are crawling with Israeli police with flash bangs flying overhead and injured Palestinians being rushed to hospitals.

At least 300 protesters have been hospitalised, some of them in critical condition. It is Israel's worst crackdown in recent history.

Some West Asian news outlets have been hinting at a third intifada or uprising.

The Palestinian protests started with a Supreme Court hearing. The judgement was due today but it's been postponed after the violence.

In Jerusalem, the case can mean only three things: religion, land or a combination of both. This case centred around Sheikh Jarrah. It is a Palestinian settlement near Damascus gate, one of the main gates in the old city of Jerusalem.

Today, the court was to decide whether the land should be given to Israeli settlers and considering the past, the judgement was a foregone conclusion.

In fact, some Israelis had already started moving in, with videos going viral. Palestinians mobilised and they organised protests, saying more evictions would soon follow.

It was flashpoint number one. Flashpoint number two started sometime in mid-April, the beginning of the holy month of Ramzan. The Palestinians wanted to meet in the old city while breaking their fast but Israeli police set up barriers. They prevented them from gathering.

Israel says they are maintaining order but it was supposed to be a peaceful, religious gathering which happened over the weekend. However,&nbsp;today things went up a notch as Israeli officers unleashed a wave of violence on the protesters with most centred around the al-Aqsa mosque.

It's the third holiest site in Islam after Mecca and Medina. Palestinian protesters armed with stones and Israeli riot police with flash bangs and batons - it was a no contest.

Hundreds of Palestinians were driven away by Israeli firing.

The al-Aqsa mosque has witnessed violence before. It is located on a hilltop.&nbsp;The jews call it temple mount, the holiest site in Judaism. The Muslims call it a noble sanctuary, the third holiest site of Islam.

The two religions have fought over it for years and they continue to do so. Today is Jerusalem day. On this day, Israel had captured eastern Jerusalem. It was during the 1967 Arab-Israel war, also called the six-day war. Israel had won against all odds and every year, Israel celebrates it with a march through the old city.

Palestinians say it is a deliberate provocation. Today, security was beefed up but in Jerusalem, security is offensive which explains why the cops stormed al-Aqsa during the holy month of Ramzan.

Many of the protesters ended up fleeing inside the mosque. Israel's crackdown is not new as they have oppressed Palestinians, evicted them from their homes and moved into their neighbourhoods, which is not sanctioned by international law.

However, Prime Minister Benjamin&nbsp;Netanyahu says he will continue doing it.

"This is not a mission that we can carry out without conflict from time to time with those same forces of intolerance that want to take away our rights — first of all our rights, but not only ours — to the temple mount and the other holy sites," Netanyahu said.

"We are determined to ensure the rights of all, and this thing requires from time to time to stand up and stand strong as Israeli police and our security forces are doing now," the Israeli PM said, adding, "We support them in this just struggle. These things, of course, have been incorrectly misrepresented in global media. In the end, the truth will prevail, but we must persist and say it."

The Israeli prime minister has made it clear - the settlements will continue, so will the crackdown on Palestinians.

Globally, Israel stands isolated. The biggest setback came from Washington.&nbsp;

Former President Donald Trump largely ignored Israel's abuses in the West Bank but Joe Biden has a different approach. The State Department condemned the violence in Jerusalem. It asked Israeli officials to immediately de-escalate.

The Islamic world has united against Israel, including the countries that have normalised ties with them. In Turkey, there were protests outside the Israeli consulate. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is looking to capitalise on this issue. Erdogan called Israel a terror state.

Similar reactions have come out of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Iran, with even the Pope weighing in. He called for the multi-cultural identity of Jerusalem to be upheld.

The UN says the crackdown could qualify as a crime against humanity. The European Union feels this makes a two-state solution even more difficult.

Jerusalem is a city under siege and not for the first time. From stories in the Bible to UN resolutions, it is a city forged in conflict. It has seen crusades, intifadas and now those faultlines have been ignited again.

Jerusalem is a city under siege and not for the first time. From stories in the Bible to UN resolutions, it is a city forged in conflict. It has seen crusades, intifadas and now those faultlines have been ignited again. Watch: The streets in Jerusalem are crawling with Israeli police with flash bangs flying overhead and injured Palestinians being rushed to hospitals. At least 300 protesters have been hospitalised, some of them in critical condition. It is Israel's worst crackdown in recent history. Some West Asian news outlets have been hinting at a third intifada or uprising. The Palestinian protests started with a Supreme Court hearing. The judgement was due today but it's been postponed after the violence. In Jerusalem, the case can mean only three things: religion, land or a combination of both. This case centred around Sheikh Jarrah. It is a Palestinian settlement near Damascus gate, one of the main gates in the old city of Jerusalem. Today, the court was to decide whether the land should be given to Israeli settlers and considering the past, the judgement was a foregone conclusion. In fact, some Israelis had already started moving in, with videos going viral. Palestinians mobilised and they organised protests, saying more evictions would soon follow. It was flashpoint number one. Flashpoint number two started sometime in mid-April, the beginning of the holy month of Ramzan. The Palestinians wanted to meet in the old city while breaking their fast but Israeli police set up barriers. They prevented them from gathering. Israel says they are maintaining order but it was supposed to be a peaceful, religious gathering which happened over the weekend. However, today things went up a notch as Israeli officers unleashed a wave of violence on the protesters with most centred around the al-Aqsa mosque. It's the third holiest site in Islam after Mecca and Medina. Palestinian protesters armed with stones and Israeli riot police with flash bangs and batons - it was a no contest. Hundreds of Palestinians were driven away by Israeli firing. The al-Aqsa mosque has witnessed violence before. It is located on a hilltop. The jews call it temple mount, the holiest site in Judaism. The Muslims call it a noble sanctuary, the third holiest site of Islam. The two religions have fought over it for years and they continue to do so. Today is Jerusalem day. On this day, Israel had captured eastern Jerusalem. It was during the 1967 Arab-Israel war, also called the six-day war. Israel had won against all odds and every year, Israel celebrates it with a march through the old city. Palestinians say it is a deliberate provocation. Today, security was beefed up but in Jerusalem, security is offensive which explains why the cops stormed al-Aqsa during the holy month of Ramzan. Many of the protesters ended up fleeing inside the mosque. Israel's crackdown is not new as they have oppressed Palestinians, evicted them from their homes and moved into their neighbourhoods, which is not sanctioned by international law. However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he will continue doing it. "This is not a mission that we can carry out without conflict from time to time with those same forces of intolerance that want to take away our rights — first of all our rights, but not only ours — to the temple mount and the other holy sites," Netanyahu said. "We are determined to ensure the rights of all, and this thing requires from time to time to stand up and stand strong as Israeli police and our security forces are doing now," the Israeli PM said, adding, "We support them in this just struggle. These things, of course, have been incorrectly misrepresented in global media. In the end, the truth will prevail, but we must persist and say it." The Israeli prime minister has made it clear - the settlements will continue, so will the crackdown on Palestinians. Globally, Israel stands isolated. The biggest setback came from Washington. Former President Donald Trump largely ignored Israel's abuses in the West Bank but Joe Biden has a different approach. The State Department condemned the violence in Jerusalem. It asked Israeli officials to immediately de-escalate. The Islamic world has united against Israel, including the countries that have normalised ties with them. In Turkey, there were protests outside the Israeli consulate. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is looking to capitalise on this issue. Erdogan called Israel a terror state. Similar reactions have come out of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Iran, with even the Pope weighing in. He called for the multi-cultural identity of Jerusalem to be upheld. The UN says the crackdown could qualify as a crime against humanity. The European Union feels this makes a two-state solution even more difficult.

Jerusalem under siege as Israelis and Palestinians clash

Thousands of people gathered outside the Israeli embassy in Ankara and its consulate in Istanbul to protest at Israeli actions against Palestinians on Monday while President Tayyip Erdogan spoke to Middle East leaders about the rising violence.&nbsp;

Despite a full lockdown aimed at curbing coronavirus cases, the protesters in Istanbul, including Syrians and Palestinians, carried Palestinian flags while chanting, "(Turkish soldiers) to Gaza" and "Down with Israel, down with America."&nbsp;

Erdogan spoke by phone with King Abdullah of Jordan, Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah, as well as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglu discussed the issue with his counterparts in Iran, Algeria, Pakistan and Russia.&nbsp;

According to a statement from his office, Erdogan told King Abdullah that the 'inhumane' attacks against Palestinians were aimed at all Muslims, adding that Turkey and Jordan needed to work together to stop them.&nbsp;

Violent clashes over Jerusalem escalated dramatically on Monday with Gaza health officials saying at least 20 people, including nine children, were killed by Israeli air strikes launched after Palestinian militant groups fired rockets close to Jerusalem.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

Thousands of people gathered outside the Israeli embassy in Ankara and its consulate in Istanbul to protest at Israeli actions against Palestinians on Monday while President Tayyip Erdogan spoke to Middle East leaders about the rising violence.

Thousands of people gathered outside the Israeli embassy in Ankara and its consulate in Istanbul to protest at Israeli actions against Palestinians on Monday while President Tayyip Erdogan spoke to Middle East leaders about the rising violence. Despite a full lockdown aimed at curbing coronavirus cases, the protesters in Istanbul, including Syrians and Palestinians, carried Palestinian flags while chanting, "(Turkish soldiers) to Gaza" and "Down with Israel, down with America." Erdogan spoke by phone with King Abdullah of Jordan, Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah, as well as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglu discussed the issue with his counterparts in Iran, Algeria, Pakistan and Russia. According to a statement from his office, Erdogan told King Abdullah that the 'inhumane' attacks against Palestinians were aimed at all Muslims, adding that Turkey and Jordan needed to work together to stop them. Violent clashes over Jerusalem escalated dramatically on Monday with Gaza health officials saying at least 20 people, including nine children, were killed by Israeli air strikes launched after Palestinian militant groups fired rockets close to Jerusalem. (With inputs from agencies)

In Turkey, protests against Israel over surge in violence 

Tensions between Israel and the Palestinians escalated as militant groups in Gaza fired rockets into Israel and it responded with strikes on the Palestinian coastal territory following a police raid on the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem that left hundreds injured.

Israel responds with airstrikes on Gaza after Hamas rocket attacks

Israeli police said have said that the annual Jerusalem Day parade will take place on Monday in East Jerusalem, where violent clashes have continued for the past few days. 
 
"Currently, the annual Jerusalem Day's flag-waving parade will be held as planned," the police said in a statement sent to Xinhua news agency on Sunday.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="Israel vows to keep Jerusalem in order">Israel vows to keep Jerusalem in order</a> 
 
In Monday's parade, thousands of Israelis are expected to march through East Jerusalem's Old City, which Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed shortly afterwards. 
 
There were calls to cancel or to change the route of the parade in the wake of escalating clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinians in the Old City during the past weeks.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="Netanyahu says Israel firm on Jerusalem as global concern mounts">Netanyahu says Israel firm on Jerusalem as global concern mounts</a> 
 
Former police chief Arieh Amit told Army Radio that the flag parade should be rerouted away from the Old City's Damascus Gate. 
 
"Allowing the parade to pass through the Damascus Gate will be a folly," he said. 
 
Earlier on Sunday, fresh clashes erupted at East Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque compound after the end of the morning prayer. 
 
At least 10 Palestinians were injured. 
 
About 290 Palestinians were injured over the weekend in clashes at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and other parts of East Jerusalem. 
 
The clashes triggered international condemnations and calls from Arab states, the US, Europe and the UN for Israel to stop the violence. 
 
During Sunday's cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will 'continue to keep freedom of worship' but 'will not allow violent disturbances'. 
 
The clashes were sparked by the threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinians from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood in East Jerusalem and the restrictions imposed by Israel during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan. 
 
Israel seized the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip in the 1967 Middle East war. 
 
It annexed East Jerusalem shortly after the war, claiming it part of the Israeli capital. 
 
The Palestinians wish to build their future state on these lands, with its capital in East Jerusalem.

Israeli police said have said that the annual Jerusalem Day parade will take place on Monday in East Jerusalem, where violent clashes have continued for the past few days.

Israeli police said have said that the annual Jerusalem Day parade will take place on Monday in East Jerusalem, where violent clashes have continued for the past few days. "Currently, the annual Jerusalem Day's flag-waving parade will be held as planned," the police said in a statement sent to Xinhua news agency on Sunday. Also read | Israel vows to keep Jerusalem in order In Monday's parade, thousands of Israelis are expected to march through East Jerusalem's Old City, which Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed shortly afterwards. There were calls to cancel or to change the route of the parade in the wake of escalating clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinians in the Old City during the past weeks. Also read | Netanyahu says Israel firm on Jerusalem as global concern mounts Former police chief Arieh Amit told Army Radio that the flag parade should be rerouted away from the Old City's Damascus Gate. "Allowing the parade to pass through the Damascus Gate will be a folly," he said. Earlier on Sunday, fresh clashes erupted at East Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque compound after the end of the morning prayer. At least 10 Palestinians were injured. About 290 Palestinians were injured over the weekend in clashes at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and other parts of East Jerusalem. The clashes triggered international condemnations and calls from Arab states, the US, Europe and the UN for Israel to stop the violence. During Sunday's cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will 'continue to keep freedom of worship' but 'will not allow violent disturbances'. The clashes were sparked by the threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinians from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood in East Jerusalem and the restrictions imposed by Israel during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan. Israel seized the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip in the 1967 Middle East war. It annexed East Jerusalem shortly after the war, claiming it part of the Israeli capital. The Palestinians wish to build their future state on these lands, with its capital in East Jerusalem.

Israeli police green-lights Jerusalem Day parade despite clashes, mounting tension

Jordan asked Israel on Sunday to stop what it called 'barbaric' attacks on worshippers in Jerusalem's al-Aqsa. Jordan has custodianship of Muslims and Christian sites in Jerusalem. It said it would step up international pressure on Israel.

East Jerusalem tensions have spilled over into clashes between Israeli police and Palestinians around al Aqsa, Islam's third-holiest mosque, at the height of the Ramadan fasting month.

"What the Israeli police and special forces are doing, from violations against the mosque to attacks on worshippers, is barbaric (behaviour) that is rejected and condemned," said Jordanian government said in a statement.

Frictions have mounted in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank, with nightly clashes in East Jerusalem's Sheikh Jarrah - a neighbourhood where numerous Palestinian families face eviction.

King Abdullah, whose Hashemite family claims descent from Islam's Prophet Mohammad and draws legitimacy from its custodianship role, said Israeli actions in the holy city were an escalation and called on it to end its "dangerous provocations".

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/netanyahu-says-israel-firm-on-jerusalem-as-global-concern-mounts-383904">Netanyahu says Israel firm on Jerusalem as global concern mounts</a>

The monarch accused Israel of trying to change the demographic status of the holy city which contains sites sacred to Judaism, Islam and Christianity.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said the kingdom, which lost East Jerusalem and the West Bank in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, would do its utmost to protect rights of Palestinians against ownership claims by Jewish settlers.

"Israel as the occupying force carries responsibility for protecting rights of Palestinians in their homes," Safadi said in comments on state media.

Jordan blames Israel for allowing right-wing religious Jews entry into the Aqsa mosque compound, saying this ignites Muslim passions and raises risks of a wider regional conflagration.

Jordan asked Israel on Sunday to stop what it called 'barbaric' attacks on worshippers in Jerusalem's al-Aqsa. Jordan has custodianship of Muslims and Christian sites in Jerusalem.

Jordan asked Israel on Sunday to stop what it called 'barbaric' attacks on worshippers in Jerusalem's al-Aqsa. Jordan has custodianship of Muslims and Christian sites in Jerusalem. It said it would step up international pressure on Israel. East Jerusalem tensions have spilled over into clashes between Israeli police and Palestinians around al Aqsa, Islam's third-holiest mosque, at the height of the Ramadan fasting month. "What the Israeli police and special forces are doing, from violations against the mosque to attacks on worshippers, is barbaric (behaviour) that is rejected and condemned," said Jordanian government said in a statement. Frictions have mounted in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank, with nightly clashes in East Jerusalem's Sheikh Jarrah - a neighbourhood where numerous Palestinian families face eviction. King Abdullah, whose Hashemite family claims descent from Islam's Prophet Mohammad and draws legitimacy from its custodianship role, said Israeli actions in the holy city were an escalation and called on it to end its "dangerous provocations". Also Read | Netanyahu says Israel firm on Jerusalem as global concern mounts The monarch accused Israel of trying to change the demographic status of the holy city which contains sites sacred to Judaism, Islam and Christianity. Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said the kingdom, which lost East Jerusalem and the West Bank in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, would do its utmost to protect rights of Palestinians against ownership claims by Jewish settlers. "Israel as the occupying force carries responsibility for protecting rights of Palestinians in their homes," Safadi said in comments on state media. Jordan blames Israel for allowing right-wing religious Jews entry into the Aqsa mosque compound, saying this ignites Muslim passions and raises risks of a wider regional conflagration.

Jordan asks Israel to stop 'barbaric' attacks on worshippers in Jerusalem

Israel's army said it launched airstrikes on Gaza after rockets were fired amid spiralling violence sparked by unrest at Jerusalem's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jerusalem-violence-palestinians-take-refuge-inside-al-aqsa-mosque-384133">Al-Aqsa</a> mosque.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/al-aqsa-mosque-dozens-hurt-in-jerusalem-clashes-383960/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The Israeli army had said that seven rockets were fired into the country with two intercepted the Iron Dome anti-missile defence system and three landed on vacant land.

"We have started, and I repeat started, to attack military targets in Gaza," the Israeli Army said.

Meanwhile, reports said a huge blast was heard inside the Al-Aqsa mosque compound even as<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jerusalem-under-siege-as-israelis-and-palestinians-clash-384175"> Israeli</a> forces had targeted "a Hamas military operative" asserting that it had killed a senior Hamas commander.

Hamas had earlier warned Israel to withdraw all its forces from the mosque compound and the east Jerusalem district of Sheikh Jarrah.

Amid the escalation in violence, police had evacuated hundreds of Jewish worshippers from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jordan-asks-israel-to-stop-barbaric-attacks-on-worshippers-in-jerusalem-383953">Jerusalem's </a>Western Wall.

"An alarm has just been sounded in Jerusalem. Police forces have begun evacuating hundreds of people" gathered at the Wailing Wall to safer locations, police said.

Organisers also cancelled the march through the Old City amid the clashes between Israeli's and Palestinians after police forced marchers to change their route and avoid entering the Old City through the Damascus Gate.&nbsp;

Hamas had warned Israel that it would face escalation unless it withdraws its forces from the Al-Aqsa mosque.

"The leadership of the resistance gives the occupation until 6:00 pm (1500 GMT) to withdraw its soldiers... from the blessed Al-Aqsa mosque and Sheikh Jarrah," Hamas spokesman said.

"You have been warned," it added even as hundreds of people were wounded in clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police.&nbsp;

The Red Crescent said at least 50 people were hospitalized with hundreds injured due to the clashes.

Israel's army said it launched airstrikes on Gaza after rockets were fired amid spiralling violence sparked by unrest at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque. Watch: The Israeli army had said that seven rockets were fired into the country with two intercepted the Iron Dome anti-missile defence system and three landed on vacant land.

Israel's army said it launched airstrikes on Gaza after rockets were fired amid spiralling violence sparked by unrest at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque. Watch: The Israeli army had said that seven rockets were fired into the country with two intercepted the Iron Dome anti-missile defence system and three landed on vacant land. "We have started, and I repeat started, to attack military targets in Gaza," the Israeli Army said. Meanwhile, reports said a huge blast was heard inside the Al-Aqsa mosque compound even as Israeli forces had targeted "a Hamas military operative" asserting that it had killed a senior Hamas commander. Hamas had earlier warned Israel to withdraw all its forces from the mosque compound and the east Jerusalem district of Sheikh Jarrah. Amid the escalation in violence, police had evacuated hundreds of Jewish worshippers from Jerusalem's Western Wall. "An alarm has just been sounded in Jerusalem. Police forces have begun evacuating hundreds of people" gathered at the Wailing Wall to safer locations, police said. Organisers also cancelled the march through the Old City amid the clashes between Israeli's and Palestinians after police forced marchers to change their route and avoid entering the Old City through the Damascus Gate. Hamas had warned Israel that it would face escalation unless it withdraws its forces from the Al-Aqsa mosque. "The leadership of the resistance gives the occupation until 6:00 pm (1500 GMT) to withdraw its soldiers... from the blessed Al-Aqsa mosque and Sheikh Jarrah," Hamas spokesman said. "You have been warned," it added even as hundreds of people were wounded in clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police. The Red Crescent said at least 50 people were hospitalized with hundreds injured due to the clashes.

Jerusalem violence: Israel launches air strikes against Hamas in Gaza Strip

Jerusalem descended into chaos after Israeli police unleashed a wave of violence on Palestinian protesters- injuring more than 300 of them. Palki Sharma tells you why Palestinians are protesting and how the world has reacted to Israel's crackdown.

Gravitas: Hundreds injured as Israeli cops storm Al-Aqsa mosque

Social media videos posted online on Monday showed people taking refuge inside Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque while violence flared outside the holy site. The men can be seen gathered on the red prayer carpets as the sound of explosions echoed outside and smoke was dispersing.

Palestinian Red Crescent Society said that more than 275 Palestinians were injured in violence. It added that 205 of them were taken to hospitals. Several of the Palestinians were in critical condition and police said 12 officers were injured.

As Israel marked "Jerusalem Day", tensions were particularly high. Jerusalem Day is the annual celebration of the capture of East Jerusalem and the walled Old City. The Old City is home to Muslim, Christian and Jewish.

Al-Aqsa, Islam's third-holiest site, has been a focal point of violence in Jerusalem throughout the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The clashes have raised international concern.

(With inputs from agencies)

Social media videos posted online on Monday showed people taking refuge inside Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque while violence flared outside the holy site. The men can be seen gathered on the red prayer carpets as the sound of explosions echoed outside and smoke was dispersing.

Social media videos posted online on Monday showed people taking refuge inside Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque while violence flared outside the holy site. The men can be seen gathered on the red prayer carpets as the sound of explosions echoed outside and smoke was dispersing. Palestinian Red Crescent Society said that more than 275 Palestinians were injured in violence. It added that 205 of them were taken to hospitals. Several of the Palestinians were in critical condition and police said 12 officers were injured. As Israel marked "Jerusalem Day", tensions were particularly high. Jerusalem Day is the annual celebration of the capture of East Jerusalem and the walled Old City. The Old City is home to Muslim, Christian and Jewish. Al-Aqsa, Islam's third-holiest site, has been a focal point of violence in Jerusalem throughout the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The clashes have raised international concern. (With inputs from agencies)

Jerusalem violence: Palestinians take refuge inside Al-Aqsa mosque

Palestinian protesters threw rocks and Israeli police fired stun grenades and rubber bullets in clashes outside the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem on Monday as Israel marked the anniversary of its capture of parts of the city in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. &nbsp;

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said more than 180 Palestinians were injured in the violence, of whom more than 80, including one person in critical condition, were transferred to hospitals.&nbsp;

Al-Aqsa, Islam's third-holiest site, has been a focal point of violence in Jerusalem throughout the Muslim holy month of Ramzan. The clashes have raised international concern.&nbsp;

Tensions were particularly high as Israel marked 'Jerusalem Day', its annual celebration of the capture of East Jerusalem and the walled Old City that is home to Muslim, Jewish and Christian holy places. &nbsp;

In an effort to ease the situation, Israeli police said they had banned Jewish groups from paying Jerusalem Day visits to the holy plaza that houses al-Aqsa, and which Jews revere as the site of biblical Jewish temples.&nbsp;

Police were also considering whether to reroute a traditional Jerusalem Day march in which thousands of Israeli flag-waving Jewish youth walk through the Old City's Damascus Gate and the Muslim Quarter.&nbsp;

Police fired tear gas, stun grenades and rubber bullets at hundreds of Palestinians, who hurled rocks at them on al-Aqsa's stone-strewn plaza, witnesses said. &nbsp;

"Extremist Palestinians planned well in advance to carry out riots today on the Temple Mount," Ofir Gendelman, a spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted. "What we see now is the result of that."&nbsp;

Police said they had deployed thousands of officers in Jerusalem streets and on rooftops to keep the peace.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Palestinian protesters threw rocks and Israeli police fired stun grenades and rubber bullets in clashes outside the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem on Monday as Israel marked the anniversary of its capture of parts of the city in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.

Palestinian protesters threw rocks and Israeli police fired stun grenades and rubber bullets in clashes outside the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem on Monday as Israel marked the anniversary of its capture of parts of the city in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said more than 180 Palestinians were injured in the violence, of whom more than 80, including one person in critical condition, were transferred to hospitals. Al-Aqsa, Islam's third-holiest site, has been a focal point of violence in Jerusalem throughout the Muslim holy month of Ramzan. The clashes have raised international concern. Tensions were particularly high as Israel marked 'Jerusalem Day', its annual celebration of the capture of East Jerusalem and the walled Old City that is home to Muslim, Jewish and Christian holy places. In an effort to ease the situation, Israeli police said they had banned Jewish groups from paying Jerusalem Day visits to the holy plaza that houses al-Aqsa, and which Jews revere as the site of biblical Jewish temples. Police were also considering whether to reroute a traditional Jerusalem Day march in which thousands of Israeli flag-waving Jewish youth walk through the Old City's Damascus Gate and the Muslim Quarter. Police fired tear gas, stun grenades and rubber bullets at hundreds of Palestinians, who hurled rocks at them on al-Aqsa's stone-strewn plaza, witnesses said. "Extremist Palestinians planned well in advance to carry out riots today on the Temple Mount," Ofir Gendelman, a spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted. "What we see now is the result of that." Police said they had deployed thousands of officers in Jerusalem streets and on rooftops to keep the peace. (With inputs from agencies)

Violence erupts at al-Aqsa mosque as Israel marks Jerusalem Day 

Israel vowed to restore order in Jerusalem on Sunday after hundreds of Palestinian protesters were wounded in a weekend of clashes with Israeli security forces. Area near Al-Aqsa mosque has seen violence for several nights. The violence was the worst since 2017. The clashes were fuelled by years-long bid by Jewish settlers to take over nearby Palestinian homes in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem.

Ahead of the weekly cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Israel "would decisively and responsibly impose law and order in Jerusalem".

Amid growing international calls for a de-escalation, Tunisia said the UN Security Council was to hold a closed-door meeting Monday, at its request, on the violence.

In violence that took place overnight on Saturday, 121 Palestinians were wounded. Many were hit by rubber bullets and stun grenades.

Israeli police said that 17 of its officers were wounded.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/stop-clashes-pope-francis-calls-for-end-to-violence-in-jerusalem-383901">'Stop Clashes': Pope Francis calls for end to violence in Jerusalem</a>

The previous night more than 220 people, again mostly Palestinians, were hurt as police stormed Al-Aqsa, saying Palestinians had thrown rocks and fireworks at officers.

Four Arab countries that normalised ties with Israel over the past year -- the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan -- all condemned Israel's actions and voiced support for the Palestinians.

In Jordan, which made peace with Israel in 1994, several hundred protesters in the capital Amman demanded the closure of the Israeli embassy.&nbsp;

The UN children's agency UNICEF said that over two days, 29 Palestinian children had been injured in east Jerusalem, including a one-year-old.

Eight Palestinian children have been arrested, it said.

(With inputs from agencies

Israel vowed to restore order in Jerusalem on Sunday after hundreds of Palestinian protesters were wounded in a weekend of clashes with Israeli security forces. Area near Al-Aqsa mosque has seen violence for several nights.

Israel vowed to restore order in Jerusalem on Sunday after hundreds of Palestinian protesters were wounded in a weekend of clashes with Israeli security forces. Area near Al-Aqsa mosque has seen violence for several nights. The violence was the worst since 2017. The clashes were fuelled by years-long bid by Jewish settlers to take over nearby Palestinian homes in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem. Ahead of the weekly cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Israel "would decisively and responsibly impose law and order in Jerusalem". Amid growing international calls for a de-escalation, Tunisia said the UN Security Council was to hold a closed-door meeting Monday, at its request, on the violence. In violence that took place overnight on Saturday, 121 Palestinians were wounded. Many were hit by rubber bullets and stun grenades. Israeli police said that 17 of its officers were wounded. Also Read | 'Stop Clashes': Pope Francis calls for end to violence in Jerusalem The previous night more than 220 people, again mostly Palestinians, were hurt as police stormed Al-Aqsa, saying Palestinians had thrown rocks and fireworks at officers. Four Arab countries that normalised ties with Israel over the past year -- the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan -- all condemned Israel's actions and voiced support for the Palestinians. In Jordan, which made peace with Israel in 1994, several hundred protesters in the capital Amman demanded the closure of the Israeli embassy. The UN children's agency UNICEF said that over two days, 29 Palestinian children had been injured in east Jerusalem, including a one-year-old. Eight Palestinian children have been arrested, it said. (With inputs from agencies

Israel vows to keep Jerusalem in order

Another day brought another series of violent encounters in Jerusalem during the holy month of Ramadan.

Scores of people were injured on Saturday as the Israeli police fired water cannon and rubber bullets on the Palestinian youth, who had gathered to protest after a night of deadly clashes the day before at Al-Aqsa mosque.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jerusalem-nightly-violent-encounter-injures-178-palestinians-and-6-police-officers-383586">Jerusalem: Nightly violent encounter injures 178 Palestinians and 6 police officers</a>

The Israeli police claim they had to take measures to disperse the crowd from a rally in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood after the demonstrators had started throwing stones at security officers.

Officials claim to have arrested three people who had attacked the police officers during the demonstrations. However, local Palestinians have doubled the figures and claim at least 13 other arrests were made earlier in the day.

In addition to this, the Palestinian Red Crescent reported that 90 people were injured in the violent clashes between the Palestinian youth and Israeli police on Saturday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/jerusalem-clashes-palestinians-clash-with-israeli-police-at-al-aqsa-mosque-383605">Watch |</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/jerusalem-clashes-palestinians-clash-with-israeli-police-at-al-aqsa-mosque-383605/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Officials also claim that a rocket had been fired from the Gaza strip, with the Israel Defense Forces responding by striking a "military target" in the south.

While the violent encounters have attracted cries of international help, Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, defended the police force’s actions.

“Israel is acting responsibly to ensure respect for law and order in Jerusalem while allowing freedom of worship,” he said.

Another day brought another series of violent encounters in Jerusalem during the holy month of Ramadan. Scores of people were injured on Saturday as the Israeli police fired water cannon and rubber bullets on the Palestinian youth, who had gathered to protest after a night of deadly clashes the day before at Al-Aqsa mosque.

Another day brought another series of violent encounters in Jerusalem during the holy month of Ramadan. Scores of people were injured on Saturday as the Israeli police fired water cannon and rubber bullets on the Palestinian youth, who had gathered to protest after a night of deadly clashes the day before at Al-Aqsa mosque. Also read | Jerusalem: Nightly violent encounter injures 178 Palestinians and 6 police officers The Israeli police claim they had to take measures to disperse the crowd from a rally in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood after the demonstrators had started throwing stones at security officers. Officials claim to have arrested three people who had attacked the police officers during the demonstrations. However, local Palestinians have doubled the figures and claim at least 13 other arrests were made earlier in the day. In addition to this, the Palestinian Red Crescent reported that 90 people were injured in the violent clashes between the Palestinian youth and Israeli police on Saturday. Watch | Officials also claim that a rocket had been fired from the Gaza strip, with the Israel Defense Forces responding by striking a "military target" in the south. While the violent encounters have attracted cries of international help, Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, defended the police force’s actions. “Israel is acting responsibly to ensure respect for law and order in Jerusalem while allowing freedom of worship,” he said.

Jerusalem: Scores more injured in another night of deadly clashes

Pope Francis on Sunday (May 9) gave out a call to end violence in Jerusalem. He urged all parties to seek solution to respect the multicultural identity of the Holy City. Pope Francis was speaking at his Sunday address in Peter's Square&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
"Violence breeds violence, stop clashes", he told pilgrims who gathered St. Peter's Square in Rome.

On Saturday, Clashes erupted between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police outside the Old City of Jerusalem as tens of thousands of Muslim worshippers prayed at the nearby Al-Aqsa Mosque on Islam's holy night of Laylat al-Qadr.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jerusalem-scores-more-injured-in-another-night-of-deadly-clashes-383771">Jerusalem: Scores more injured in another night of deadly clashes</a> 
 
In his Sunday address, Pope Francis also prayed for victims of an explosion near a school in Kabul.

"We pray for the victims of the terrorist attack that took place yesterday in Kabul. An inhumane action that hit many girls as they left school. Let us pray for each of them and their families, and may God grant peace to Afghanistan," Francis said.

"There are so many Colombians here, let's pray for your homeland", the pontiff added, expressing his concern for clashes in Colombia.

Demonstrations began last week in the Andean country fuelled by outrage at a plan to raise sales taxes. That proposal was cancelled but protesters' demands now include a basic income and the withdrawal of a long-debated health reform that opponents say is too vague to correct inequalities.

(With inputs from agencies)

Pope Francis on Sunday (May 9) gave out a call to end violence in Jerusalem. He urged all parties to seek solution to respect the multicultural identity of the Holy City.

Pope Francis on Sunday (May 9) gave out a call to end violence in Jerusalem. He urged all parties to seek solution to respect the multicultural identity of the Holy City. Pope Francis was speaking at his Sunday address in Peter's Square "Violence breeds violence, stop clashes", he told pilgrims who gathered St. Peter's Square in Rome. On Saturday, Clashes erupted between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police outside the Old City of Jerusalem as tens of thousands of Muslim worshippers prayed at the nearby Al-Aqsa Mosque on Islam's holy night of Laylat al-Qadr. Also Read | Jerusalem: Scores more injured in another night of deadly clashes In his Sunday address, Pope Francis also prayed for victims of an explosion near a school in Kabul. "We pray for the victims of the terrorist attack that took place yesterday in Kabul. An inhumane action that hit many girls as they left school. Let us pray for each of them and their families, and may God grant peace to Afghanistan," Francis said. "There are so many Colombians here, let's pray for your homeland", the pontiff added, expressing his concern for clashes in Colombia. Demonstrations began last week in the Andean country fuelled by outrage at a plan to raise sales taxes. That proposal was cancelled but protesters' demands now include a basic income and the withdrawal of a long-debated health reform that opponents say is too vague to correct inequalities. (With inputs from agencies)

'Stop Clashes': Pope Francis calls for end to violence in Jerusalem

A violent encounter between the Israeli police and Palestinian youth took place in Jerusalem on Friday, leading to more than 170 civilians and six officers getting injured.

Israeli police fired rubber bullets and stun grenades on Palestinian youth present at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem on Friday.

The violent encounter took place as a result of growing anger over the possibility of eviction of Palestinians from their homes on land which is being claimed by Jewish settlers.

At least 178 Palestinians and six officers have been reportedly injured in this night-time violent encounter.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/jerusalem-22-palestinians-wounded-15-arrested-during-clashes-over-land-rights-383452">Watch |</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/jerusalem-22-palestinians-wounded-15-arrested-during-clashes-over-land-rights-383452/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

After tens of thousands of Palestinians gathered in the hilltop compound surrounding the mosque for their daily prayer, many of them had stayed on to raise their voices against the evictions. However, clashes broke out at the mosque after the evening meal.

“Police must immediately stop firing stun grenades at worshippers, and the youth must calm down and be quiet,” an Aqsa official was heard urging people and police officials to maintain calm.

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انسحاب بعض من القوات المتواجدة في <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D9%82%D8%B5%D9%89?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#الأقصى</a> باتجاه باب المغاربة <a href="https://t.co/FmCIlDxaZH">pic.twitter.com/FmCIlDxaZH</a>
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The police claim it was the Palestinian youth who first attacked the troops. “We will respond with a heavy hand to any violent disturbance, rioting or harm to our officers, and will work to find those responsible and bring them to justice,” a spokesperson said.

Al-Aqsa is believed to be Islam’s third holiest site. However, tensions have been increasing in the area during the holy month of Ramadan. Nightly clashes in East Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah have increased in the past month as the Palestinian families face eviction in a long-running legal case.

(With inputs from agencies)

A violent encounter between the Israeli police and Palestinian youth took place in Jerusalem on Friday, leading to more than 170 civilians and six officers getting injured.

A violent encounter between the Israeli police and Palestinian youth took place in Jerusalem on Friday, leading to more than 170 civilians and six officers getting injured. Israeli police fired rubber bullets and stun grenades on Palestinian youth present at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem on Friday. The violent encounter took place as a result of growing anger over the possibility of eviction of Palestinians from their homes on land which is being claimed by Jewish settlers. At least 178 Palestinians and six officers have been reportedly injured in this night-time violent encounter. Watch | After tens of thousands of Palestinians gathered in the hilltop compound surrounding the mosque for their daily prayer, many of them had stayed on to raise their voices against the evictions. However, clashes broke out at the mosque after the evening meal. “Police must immediately stop firing stun grenades at worshippers, and the youth must calm down and be quiet,” an Aqsa official was heard urging people and police officials to maintain calm. انسحاب بعض من القوات المتواجدة في #الأقصى باتجاه باب المغاربة pic.twitter.com/FmCIlDxaZH — وكالة شهاب للأنباء (@ShehabAgency) May 7, 2021 × The police claim it was the Palestinian youth who first attacked the troops. “We will respond with a heavy hand to any violent disturbance, rioting or harm to our officers, and will work to find those responsible and bring them to justice,” a spokesperson said. Al-Aqsa is believed to be Islam’s third holiest site. However, tensions have been increasing in the area during the holy month of Ramadan. Nightly clashes in East Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah have increased in the past month as the Palestinian families face eviction in a long-running legal case. (With inputs from agencies)

Jerusalem: Nightly violent encounter injures 178 Palestinians and 6 police officers

Twenty-two Palestinians were wounded in overnight clashes with Israeli police in annexed east Jerusalem, as tensions flare over a controversial land rights case. Police confirmed 15 arrests in the latest unrest to rock the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood near Jerusalem's walled Old City, where land disputes between Palestinians and Jewish settlers have fuelled hostility for years.

Jerusalem: 22 Palestinians wounded & 15 arrested during clashes over land rights

Twenty-two&nbsp;Palestinians&nbsp;were wounded in overnight clashes with Israeli police in annexed east Jerusalem, the Red Crescent said Thursday, as tensions flare over a controversial land rights case.

Police confirmed 11 arrests in the latest unrest to rock the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood near Jerusalem's walled Old City, where land disputes between&nbsp;Palestinians&nbsp;and Jewish settlers have fuelled hostility for years.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/clashes-erupt-in-jerusalem-ahead-of-key-court-ruling-on-palestinians-eviction-383032">Clashes erupt in Jerusalem ahead of key court ruling on Palestinians' eviction</a>

Palestinian protests, which began late Wednesday, continued into the early hours.

The legal case centres on the homes of four Palestinian families on land claimed by Jews.&nbsp;

Earlier this year, a Jerusalem district court ruled the homes legally belonged to the Jewish families, citing purchases decades ago.&nbsp;

The Jewish plaintiffs claimed their families lost the land during the war that accompanied Israel's creation in 1948, a conflict that also saw hundreds of thousands of&nbsp;Palestinians&nbsp;displaced from their homes.&nbsp;

The Palestinian families implicated in the case have provided evidence that their homes were acquired from Jordanian authorities who controlled East Jerusalem from 1948 to 1967.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/human-rights-watch-says-israel-committing-crime-of-apartheid-against-palestinians-380678">Human Rights Watch says Israel committing 'crime of apartheid' against Palestinians</a>

Amman has intervened in the case, providing documents to support the Palestinian claims.&nbsp;

Israel seized east Jerusalem in 1967 and later annexed it, in a move not recognised by most of the international community.&nbsp;

The district court ruling infuriated&nbsp;Palestinians&nbsp;in Sheikh Jarrah who viewed it as a further step in what they see as a Jewish settler effort to drive Arabs out of east Jerusalem.&nbsp;

Weeks of clashes that have seen police use skunk water cannons and deploy anti-riot police on horseback have resulted in several arrests.

'We reject this'

Israel's Supreme Court has ordered the sides to seek a compromise.&nbsp;

Sami Irshid, a lawyer for the&nbsp;Palestinians, said the Nahalat Shimon settler movement proposed that one member of each concerned Palestinian family be recognised as a "protected tenant."

That would temporarily delay eviction until the protected tenant died, at which point the home would return to Nahalat Shimon, Irshid said.&nbsp;

"We reject this completely," Mona al-Kurd, one of the Palestinian residents told AFP.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uae-urges-israel-to-stop-jerusalem-violence-in-rare-rebuke-380585">UAE urges Israel to stop Jerusalem violence in rare rebuke</a>

"The settlers want us to recognise their property rights, it is impossible."

Yehonatan Yosef, an activist with Nahalat Shimon, accused the Palestinian families of rejecting "any compromise."

"It's their problem," he said, noting that if the Supreme Court ruled in the settlers' favour, the Jewish families would do what they wished with each plot.&nbsp;

The Supreme Court has indicated that if the sides cannot reach a compromise, it will rule on whether the&nbsp;Palestinians&nbsp;can appeal the district court decision.&nbsp;

An appeal process could take years.&nbsp;

Mohammed Deif, the reclusive leader of the military wing of Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, issued a rare public warning on Tuesday, saying Israel would pay a "high price" over the Sheikh Jarrah dispute.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;Palestinians&nbsp;claim east Jerusalem as their future capital, while Israel regards the entire city as its "undivided capital."

Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki sent a letter to the International Criminal Court urging it "to take a clear and public stand against crimes perpetrated by Israel against the Palestinian people in Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood."&nbsp;

Twenty-two Palestinians were wounded in overnight clashes with Israeli police in annexed east Jerusalem, the Red Crescent said Thursday, as tensions flare over a controversial land rights case.

Twenty-two Palestinians were wounded in overnight clashes with Israeli police in annexed east Jerusalem, the Red Crescent said Thursday, as tensions flare over a controversial land rights case. Police confirmed 11 arrests in the latest unrest to rock the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood near Jerusalem's walled Old City, where land disputes between Palestinians and Jewish settlers have fuelled hostility for years. Also read | Clashes erupt in Jerusalem ahead of key court ruling on Palestinians' eviction Palestinian protests, which began late Wednesday, continued into the early hours. The legal case centres on the homes of four Palestinian families on land claimed by Jews. Earlier this year, a Jerusalem district court ruled the homes legally belonged to the Jewish families, citing purchases decades ago. The Jewish plaintiffs claimed their families lost the land during the war that accompanied Israel's creation in 1948, a conflict that also saw hundreds of thousands of Palestinians displaced from their homes. The Palestinian families implicated in the case have provided evidence that their homes were acquired from Jordanian authorities who controlled East Jerusalem from 1948 to 1967. Also read | Human Rights Watch says Israel committing 'crime of apartheid' against Palestinians Amman has intervened in the case, providing documents to support the Palestinian claims. Israel seized east Jerusalem in 1967 and later annexed it, in a move not recognised by most of the international community. The district court ruling infuriated Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah who viewed it as a further step in what they see as a Jewish settler effort to drive Arabs out of east Jerusalem. Weeks of clashes that have seen police use skunk water cannons and deploy anti-riot police on horseback have resulted in several arrests. 'We reject this' Israel's Supreme Court has ordered the sides to seek a compromise. Sami Irshid, a lawyer for the Palestinians, said the Nahalat Shimon settler movement proposed that one member of each concerned Palestinian family be recognised as a "protected tenant." That would temporarily delay eviction until the protected tenant died, at which point the home would return to Nahalat Shimon, Irshid said. "We reject this completely," Mona al-Kurd, one of the Palestinian residents told AFP. Also read | UAE urges Israel to stop Jerusalem violence in rare rebuke "The settlers want us to recognise their property rights, it is impossible." Yehonatan Yosef, an activist with Nahalat Shimon, accused the Palestinian families of rejecting "any compromise." "It's their problem," he said, noting that if the Supreme Court ruled in the settlers' favour, the Jewish families would do what they wished with each plot. The Supreme Court has indicated that if the sides cannot reach a compromise, it will rule on whether the Palestinians can appeal the district court decision. An appeal process could take years. Mohammed Deif, the reclusive leader of the military wing of Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, issued a rare public warning on Tuesday, saying Israel would pay a "high price" over the Sheikh Jarrah dispute. The Palestinians claim east Jerusalem as their future capital, while Israel regards the entire city as its "undivided capital." Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki sent a letter to the International Criminal Court urging it "to take a clear and public stand against crimes perpetrated by Israel against the Palestinian people in Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood."

Jerusalem clashes wound 22 Palestinians as land rights tensions mount

Orthodox Christians celebrate Holy Fire ceremony in Jerusalem

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday postponed planned parliamentary elections amid a dispute over voting in Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem and splits in his Fatah party.

Abbas, 85, blamed Israel for uncertainty about whether it would allow the legislative election to proceed in Jerusalem as well as in the occupied West Bank and Gaza.

The decision came three months after he announced the first national elections for 15 years in what was widely seen as a response to criticism of the democratic legitimacy of Palestinian institutions, including his own presidency.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="Israel pilgrimage stampede: At least 44 killed in biggest Covid-era gathering">Israel pilgrimage stampede: At least 44 killed in biggest Covid-era gathering</a>

The outcome of an election could be gains for Hamas, the Islamist militant group that controls Gaza. Abbas`s chief domestic rival, Hamas is regarded as a terrorist group by Israel, the United States and European Union but fought a well-organised campaign to defeat a similarly divided Fatah in 2006.

The dispute over Jerusalem was the principal reason cited by Abbas in a speech early Friday following a meeting of Palestinian political factions.

"Facing this difficult situation, we decided to postpone the date of holding legislative elections until the participation of Jerusalem and its people is guaranteed," Abbas said in the speech on Palestinian TV.

The delay of the parliamentary elections set for May is likely to draw intense domestic criticism, with Abbas and his allies weakened by challengers from within his own divided Fatah party.

It was not immediately clear whether a presidential vote scheduled for July would go ahead.

The Palestinian Central Elections Commission said it was suspending the election process following Abbas`s decision. The election campaign was supposed to begin on Friday.

Protesters in Gaza and the West Bank called for the elections to proceed as scheduled - for many it would be their first election.

"As a young Palestinian citizen, I call for conducting elections, and I want my right to elect so I would see new faces, young faces, and see new political stances," said Wael Deys, from Hebron.

Hamas criticised the reversal.

"We reject this decision which violates the national consensus, and Fatah movement bears responsibility for the consequences of this position," spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters.

Abbas had hinted at the delay for weeks by claiming that Israel had not agreed to permit East Jerusalem Palestinians to vote in the city.

A spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said earlier this week that there had been no formal Israeli announcement on whether it would allow Palestinian voting in Jerusalem - as it did during the last elections in 2006 - and Israeli officials said on Thursday that there had been no change.

But many Palestinians regard the Jerusalem issue as an excuse to avoid elections that a divided Fatah might well lose to Hamas.

Internal divisions surfaced in Abbas`s Fatah party when jailed Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti and Nasser Al-Qudwa - a nephew of the party`s late founder Yasser Arafat - announced a rival slate of candidates to run against Abbas`s official lineup.

Nevertheless, election preparations were well under way, with thousands of new voters and three dozen party lists registered.

"The delay will cause a great disappointment among Palestinians, who most of them hoped it was time to end the divisions and bring about a change," said Gaza analyst Talal Okal.

Abbas has been in power since 2005 and has ruled by decree for over a decade.

The timing of his election announcement was seen as aimed at repairing ties with US&nbsp;President Joe Biden after they plummeted under predecessor Donald Trump.

But analysts say that with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict low on Biden's priority list, Washington prefers to avoid elections that could empower Hamas and anger Israel as US&nbsp;officials press ahead on nuclear talks with Iran.

Israel has been making it clear that it prefers an election delay, fearing its coordination with Abbas`s security forces in the West Bank would be undermined by the vote, said Shibley Telhami of the Brookings Institution.

"(To) the extent that Biden was prepared to confront Israel, his top priority has been the Iran nuclear deal," Telhami said, adding that, among other factors, "this appeared to have weighed in on the Biden administration, with reduced enthusiasm for the election."

State Department Spokesman Ned Price said on Thursday: "The exercise of democratic elections is a matter for the Palestinian people and for the Palestinian leadership to determine."

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday postponed planned parliamentary elections amid a dispute over voting in Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem and splits in his Fatah party.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday postponed planned parliamentary elections amid a dispute over voting in Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem and splits in his Fatah party. Abbas, 85, blamed Israel for uncertainty about whether it would allow the legislative election to proceed in Jerusalem as well as in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. The decision came three months after he announced the first national elections for 15 years in what was widely seen as a response to criticism of the democratic legitimacy of Palestinian institutions, including his own presidency. Also read: Israel pilgrimage stampede: At least 44 killed in biggest Covid-era gathering The outcome of an election could be gains for Hamas, the Islamist militant group that controls Gaza. Abbas`s chief domestic rival, Hamas is regarded as a terrorist group by Israel, the United States and European Union but fought a well-organised campaign to defeat a similarly divided Fatah in 2006. The dispute over Jerusalem was the principal reason cited by Abbas in a speech early Friday following a meeting of Palestinian political factions. "Facing this difficult situation, we decided to postpone the date of holding legislative elections until the participation of Jerusalem and its people is guaranteed," Abbas said in the speech on Palestinian TV. The delay of the parliamentary elections set for May is likely to draw intense domestic criticism, with Abbas and his allies weakened by challengers from within his own divided Fatah party. It was not immediately clear whether a presidential vote scheduled for July would go ahead. The Palestinian Central Elections Commission said it was suspending the election process following Abbas`s decision. The election campaign was supposed to begin on Friday. Protesters in Gaza and the West Bank called for the elections to proceed as scheduled - for many it would be their first election. "As a young Palestinian citizen, I call for conducting elections, and I want my right to elect so I would see new faces, young faces, and see new political stances," said Wael Deys, from Hebron. Hamas criticised the reversal. "We reject this decision which violates the national consensus, and Fatah movement bears responsibility for the consequences of this position," spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters. Abbas had hinted at the delay for weeks by claiming that Israel had not agreed to permit East Jerusalem Palestinians to vote in the city. A spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said earlier this week that there had been no formal Israeli announcement on whether it would allow Palestinian voting in Jerusalem - as it did during the last elections in 2006 - and Israeli officials said on Thursday that there had been no change. But many Palestinians regard the Jerusalem issue as an excuse to avoid elections that a divided Fatah might well lose to Hamas. Internal divisions surfaced in Abbas`s Fatah party when jailed Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti and Nasser Al-Qudwa - a nephew of the party`s late founder Yasser Arafat - announced a rival slate of candidates to run against Abbas`s official lineup. Nevertheless, election preparations were well under way, with thousands of new voters and three dozen party lists registered. "The delay will cause a great disappointment among Palestinians, who most of them hoped it was time to end the divisions and bring about a change," said Gaza analyst Talal Okal. Abbas has been in power since 2005 and has ruled by decree for over a decade. The timing of his election announcement was seen as aimed at repairing ties with US President Joe Biden after they plummeted under predecessor Donald Trump. But analysts say that with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict low on Biden's priority list, Washington prefers to avoid elections that could empower Hamas and anger Israel as US officials press ahead on nuclear talks with Iran. Israel has been making it clear that it prefers an election delay, fearing its coordination with Abbas`s security forces in the West Bank would be undermined by the vote, said Shibley Telhami of the Brookings Institution. "(To) the extent that Biden was prepared to confront Israel, his top priority has been the Iran nuclear deal," Telhami said, adding that, among other factors, "this appeared to have weighed in on the Biden administration, with reduced enthusiasm for the election." State Department Spokesman Ned Price said on Thursday: "The exercise of democratic elections is a matter for the Palestinian people and for the Palestinian leadership to determine."

Palestinian parliamentary elections delayed, says Abbas, blaming Israel

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