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Iran accused Israel of “Zionist” aggression after clashes broke out between Palestinians and Israelis at the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem on Friday.
More than 150 Palestinians were injured after thousands gathered for prayer at the holy site during the month of Ramadan. It was one of the most violent clashes since the Israeli-Palestinian crisis last summer.
Palestinians chant slogans and wave Hamas flags during a protest against Israel in front of the shrine of the Dome of the Rock on the grounds of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City, Friday, April 15, 2022. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)
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Clashes erupted after some Palestinians finished their prayers and began marching to the area near the mosque, chanting “With our souls, with our blood, we sacrifice ourselves for you Al-Aqsa.”
The protesters also reportedly expressed support for Hamas, the militant Islamic group that rules Gaza but is defined as a terrorist organization by the US government.
It’s unclear what sparked the clashes, but Israel Police said they responded to the violence and arrested “hundreds” of suspects. The mosque then reopened for midday prayers with around 60,000 in attendance.
Palestinians clash with Israeli security forces at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem’s Old City on Friday, April 15, 2022. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)
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Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) called the clash a “desecration of Muslims’ sacred values” and claimed it was “carried out by the Zionist regime’s military and security forces, using military equipment and brutally attacking defenseless Palestinian believers.” to have”. according to a translated statement by Tasnim News Agency, a private Iranian news outlet.
The IRGC also promised a “new wave” of support for Palestinians rising up against Israel. She accused the Israeli state of “aggressive actions and new crimes”.
Recent clashes in Israel have raised concerns that the region could face another escalation in security similar to the 11-day conflict in May 2021 that resulted in the deaths of over 200 Israelis and Palestinians, most of whom died in Gaza.
Iran has long supported Hamas and has helped train and militarily support the Islamist militants in their fight against Israel.
But ongoing negotiations with the US and other Western nations for a nuclear deal in exchange for sanctions lifting could force Tehran to sever its known ties with terrorist organizations in the Middle East.
Israeli security forces take position during clashes with Palestinian protesters at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem’s Old City, Friday, April 15, 2022. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)
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Talks appear to have stalled, but reports surfaced last month that the US might consider removing Iran’s Revolutionary Guard from its list of designated terrorist groups in exchange for regional peace.
It remains unclear how Tehran will respond to these bargaining demands, but security officials and academics alike have warned the government to beware of false assurances.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.