RNA - In a press release, the Israeli police said that it deployed hundreds of officers in the streets and alleys of the Old City, all neighborhoods, and in many streets in the area, allegedly to “prevent clashes between Palestinians and the police.”
The Israeli police claimed that the restrictions were imposed upon reports of possible planned demonstrations after Friday prayers.
According to PressTV, Israel usually imposes restrictions on Muslim worshippers' access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the first days of "Rosh Hashanah" (Jewish New Year).
On Wednesday, Israeli forces once again attacked Palestinian worshippers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. At least 20 Palestinians were reportedly injured in the clashes.
Israeli troops have escalated their raids on the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam, in recent months.
Almost on a daily basis, Israeli troops force their way into the ranks of Palestinian worshippers, triggering scuffles.
Israeli authorities are also systematically acting to change the identity and character of several Palestinian cities.
A report published by the Al-Aqsa Foundation in October 2013 said the Israeli regime is planning to build a synagogue at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound as part of its efforts to further Judaize the occupied Palestinian territories.
Over the past decades, Israel has tried to change the demographic makeup of al-Quds (Jerusalem) by constructing illegal settlements, destroying historical sites, and expelling the local Palestinian population.
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