Palestinian sources reported on Friday that Israeli soldiers and
policemen barred hundreds of Palestinians from reaching the Al Aqsa
Mosque for Friday prayers, marking the second Friday of the Muslim holy
month of Ramadan, several residents, including children, were injured.
On Friday morning, soldiers barred hundreds of residents from Bethlehem and Hebron from reaching the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, to conduct Friday prayers there.
Policemen fired stun grenades at the residents trying to cross into Jerusalem, several injuries were reported.
Hundreds of Israeli soldiers and policemen were deployed in the northern area of Bethlehem and around Gilo checkpoint, and barred the residents from reaching the Holy City.
Israeli security services only allowed a limited number of Palestinian males over the age of 40 to reach the mosque area. The residents who were allowed to cross were searched, questioned, and forced to wait to long period before being allowed into Jerusalem.
