JERUSALEM, April 6 – For the second day in a row, Israeli police stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque in east Jerusalem. At least six people were injured in a police raid on Muslim worshipers staying at the holy site, according to a statement from the Palestinian Red Crescent.
For its part, the Islamic Waqf Council, which is responsible for the religious complex, reported that the police used flashbang grenades and rubber bullets to disperse the believers. Local Palestinian media reported that the invasion by occupation police happened as nearly 20,000 people performed tarawih night prayers to identify Ramadan, Telesur reported.
In a statement, the Israeli police attempted to justify their invasion by stating that “dozens of young lawbreakers” were attempting to barricade themselves inside the mosque to incite riots and that the armed forces broke in while trying to force the temple’s doors close. These Israeli raids have been condemned by the entire Muslim world and by the United Nations (UN).
The Security Council was expected to hold an emergency closed session on Thursday to discuss Israel’s violations of Al-Aqsa Mosque.