Arresting protestor Thursday
Photo: Reuters
Police car outside Damascus Gate
Photo: Guy Asayag
Old City: 9 protestors detained during clashes with police
Ma'an news agency says some prominent Fatah members among those arrested during confrontations with security forces at Damascus Gate; police say PA march was unauthorized. Abbas: Jerusalem will forever remain capital of Palestine
Jerusalem Police arrested nine protestors suspected of unruliness during an attempt to disperse a Palestinian Authority (PA) rally at the Damascus Gate in the capital's Old City on Thursday.
Some of the demonstrators refused to disperse and clashed with security forces.
Police said the clashes erupted when those who participated in the rally attempted to begin marching in the Old City without authorization.
Protester pinned to the ground (Photo: Reuters)
According to the Ma'an news agency, a number of Fatah members were among those detained.
"The occupation forces arrested a number of Palestinian citizens and beat others in riots that broke out during an event marking the conclusion of the 'Al-Quds (Jerusalem) – Arab cultural capital for 2009' events," the Palestinian news outlet reported.
According to the report, security forces detained a number of prominent Fatah activists from east Jerusalem.
Damascus Gate Thursday afternoon (Photo: Guy Asayag)
Also Thursday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said, "Jerusalem will forever remain the capital of Palestine and the Arab and Islamic nation."
In a speech he gave in Nablus summing up activities for "Jerusalem – Arab cultural capital for 2009", Abbas said, "No one can compete with us on this. Jerusalem is ours and will stay ours."
About two months ago riots broke out in and around the Old City's Temple Mount compound and in northern Israel after Arabs were urged to "come protect the al-Aqsa Mosque", while right-wing activists called on Jews to come visit the Temple Mount in masses.
