Temple Mount clashes continue for third day
Third day of rioting sees Palestinians barricading themselves inside al-Aqsa Mosque, throwing stones, concrete blocks, fireworks at security forces.
Clashes between security forces and Palestinians at the Temple Mount continued for the third consecutive day on Tuesday, the second day of Rosh Hashanah.
Jerusalem Police said: "Following intelligence collected by the Shin Bet and the police regarding Arab youths, some with their faces covered, who barricaded themselves inside al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount, Jerusalem Police organized additional security forces at the entrance to the Temple Mount, who are prepared for any eventuality as has been done throughout the entire holiday.
According to police, the youths inside the mosque collected stones and fireworks and set up barricades to prevent closing the entrance, using shoe racks, iron rods, and rope tied to the doors of the mosque, and other methods.
As soon as the Temple Mount was opened to visitors on Tuesday morning, police said, rioters began throwing stones towards the Mughrabi Bridge.
Police and border guards then entered the Temple Mount area, at which point the rioters fled inside the mosque and began throwing dozens of stones, concrete blocks, and fireworks at security forces.
A firebomb was also thrown at security forces, setting wooden beams on fire.
Security forces began dismantling the barricades at the entrance to the mosque and shut the door with the rioters still inside.
Visits by Jews and tourists began on time and without disturbances.
Later in the day, police arrested an Arab man suspected of attacking two Jewish youths in the morning in the Old City. He fled the scene, but was detained after police said they recognized him on security footage.
Khaled Mashal, head of Hamas's political bureau, had a phone conversation with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas regarding events at the Temple Mount.
Violence erupted beyond the Temple Mount. In the early afternoon, around 170 Palestinians were rioting and throwing stones and firebombs at the border fence next to Tul Karm, more than 100 kilometers from Jerusalem.
At least nine people were arrested at the Temple Mount on Monday morning during rioting.
The United States said on Monday that it was deeply concerned about the violence and urged both sides to lower tensions.
Jordanian King Abdullah II condemned Israel, saying it was acting aggressive at al-Aqsa.
Turkish President Recep Erdogan called on UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to reprimand Israel for "violating the mosque's sanctity."
Yoav Zitun and Elior Levy contributed to this report.
