At least nine arrested on Rosh Hashanah as police pelted with stones; Netanyahu announces ’emergency meeting’ to discuss attacks.
The Temple Mount saw clashes between Palestinians and security forces for the second day in a row on Monday, the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah.
An official at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said that the prime minister would convene an “emergency meeting” over recent Palestinian attacks on Tuesday.
In Jerusalem, masked youths threw stones at police officers preparing to open the Temple Mount to visitors on Monday morning. A policeman was lightly wounded and was treated at the scene. A young Jewish passerby was also reportedly attacked. Nine arrests were made.
Netanyahu will hold the consultations with top ministers Tuesday night after Rosh Hashanah ends.
“The prime minister views with great severity the throwing of rocks and fire bombs against Israeli citizens and intends to fight the phenomena by all means, including increasing punishment and enforcement,” the official said anonymously according to protocol.
The announcement came several hours after a Jewish man died from wounds sustained when rocks were thrown at his car. Spokeswoman Luba Samri said the man was injured early Monday as his vehicle was attacked while returning from a meal marking Rosh Hashanah. She said the identity of the attackers is unknown but they are likely from a nearby Arab neighborhood.
Sunday saw clashes in Jerusalem ahead of Rosh Hashanah. Palestinians barricaded themselves inside al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount. Police forces broke into the compound and confiscated some of the equipment brought there by the Palestinians.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s office said Sunday that he “strongly condemns the Israeli attack” against the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
“The Presidency strongly condemns the attack by the occupier’s army and police against the Al-Aqsa mosque and the aggression against the faithful who were there,” said his office. “East Jerusalem and the Christian and Muslim holy sites are a red line; we will not bear attacks against our holy places.”
As reported by Ynetnews