At least 90 injured in 2nd day of clashes between Israeli police and Palestinians in Jerusalem, Palestinian Red Crescent says
CNN– At least 90 people were injured as Palestinians and Israeli police clashed in Jerusalem for a second night Saturday, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.
All of the injured are Palestinian and most were hurt by rubber bullets or stun grenades, the Red Crescent said. At least 16 of the 90 injured have been taken to hospital.
That’s after as many as 205 people were injured at Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa mosque Friday, when Israeli police in riot gear clashed with Palestinians following evening prayers, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.
Tensions have been rising in East Jerusalem in previous days over the possible eviction of Palestinian families living there. On Wednesday night, 22 people were injured in a neighborhood there, according to the Red Crescent, two of which needed hospital treatment.
In that incident, dozens of supporters of the families threatened with eviction gathered outside the houses in question, chanting and singing songs, with about 20 Jewish Israelis also gathered nearby playing loud music. Violence broke out after Palestinian protesters refused to follow police instruction to clear the road. As police moved in, fighting broke out.
Six of those injured Saturday are under 18 years old, including a 1-year-old, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.
The clashes took place at several locations in Jerusalem, at Damascus Gate and the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, where some Palestinian families may face eviction.
Israeli police said they began dispersing demonstrators at Damascus Gate after protesters threw stones, fireworks, and other objects at police officers. There were no reports of injuries among the Israelis.
Eighty-eight of those injured Friday were treated at hospitals, with most suffering from wounds caused by rubber-coated bullets, the Red Crescent said. About 20 were treated in field hospitals set up to cope with injuries from the most significant night of unrest in the city for years.
Video showed stun grenades going off across the mosque compound — known as the Noble Sanctuary to Muslims and the Temple Mount to Jews — with some landing inside the mosque building and scattering worshipers.
On Friday, police say at least six officers were wounded when clashes broke out after worshipers started throwing rocks and other objects. Palestinians say the unrest was triggered after some of them were prevented from entering the mosque compound and attempted to move police barricades.
Earlier in the day, tens of thousands of worshipers had gathered at the site for midday prayers.
