Palestinian sources reported that clashes took place, Thursday evening, between dozens of residents of Silwan, located south of the al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem, and Israeli soldiers invading the area.Clashes were also reported in Ayyoub Well area and Ein al-Louza. No injuries were reported.
Local sources said that the army tried to force the residents out of their protest tent in Silwan.
Soldiers fired gas bombs and rubber-coated bullets at the residents while dozens of local youths hurled stones at military vehicles invading their neighborhoods.
On Wednesday, soldiers stormed Silwan and kidnapped five Palestinian children including two brothers.
The army claimed that the children were involved in throwing stones at Israeli soldiers and policemen. The children are between 13 and 18 years old.
The protest tent in Silwan was installed several months ago to oppose the demolishing of Palestinian homes in the city and the ongoing settler occupation of Arab homes.
On Thursday, the Jerusalem Municipality appealed Israeli courts to allow them to dismantle the large protest tent in Silwan immediately. The courts instated an eight-month delay on removing the tent.
The Jerusalem Municipality claims that the protest tent became a source of “inciting violence, clashes with the army and the settlers”, and “an act that disturbs the peace”.
In June this year, the court decided that the owners have until June 2011 to remove the tent that was described as “an illegal structure”.
