Beyond Borders

Palestinians gather to celebrate the Israeli removal of metal detectors that were  installed after a deadly shooting inside the shrine. In addition to newly installed railings and scaffolding where cameras were previously mounted have  now also been removed from at least one main entrance to the Haram al-Sharif compound. A tense standoff has been underway between Israel and Muslim worshippers at the holy site despite the removal of metal detectors on Tuesday, with concerns of major unrest later this week if no resolution is found. It was unclear whether Muslim authorities would now grant approval for worshippers to re-enter the site, which houses the revered Al-Aqsa mosque and the Dome of the Rock. However, Palestinians are very happy after days of tension. They refused to enter the site and pray outside in streets protesting Israeli measures that are seen as a move in asserting further control over the site. This situation leads to more tensi...

Israeli forces attacked, on Sunday evening, dozens of Palestinians who gathered for evening prayers near the Bab al-Asbat (The Gate of the Tribes), in occupied East Jerusalem, wounding 21 of them, after preventing them from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said the soldiers shot and injured fifteen Palestinians with rubber-coated steel bullets and that six of them suffered moderate wounds that required moving him to a hospital for further treatment. The PRCS added that the soldiers also assaulted many Palestinians, causing various cuts and bruises to at least six. Also on Sunday, the soldiers abducted two Palestinians from East Jerusalem, after stopping and searching their car, and locating what the army described as “dangerous fireworks.” Furthermore, the soldiers invaded Beit Ummar town, north of the southern West Bank city of Hebron clashed with local youths and caused many Palestinians to suffer the severe effects of tearg...

Israel’s decision to ban Palestinian Muslims from praying in al-Aqsa Mosque in  the old city of Jerusalem on Friday, in the wake of an earlier shooting attack had outraged the Palestinians, who called for large protests, demonstrations, and rallies. Various Palestinian factions, mainly President Mahmoud Abbas Fatah Party, Islamic Jihad and Islamic Hamas movement warned Israel of closing al-Aqsa Mosque in the face of thousands of Palestinian prayers who arrived in east Jerusalem for Friday prayers. Osama al-Qaqasmeh, Fatah spokesman in the West Bank said in an emailed press statement that closing al-Aqsa Mosque and preventing prayers from reaching it for Friday prayers “is a dangerous condemned and rejected escalation.” He called on the Palestinians to head to al-Aqsa Mosque and prevent closing it. Israel closed al-Aqsa Mosque in the old city in east Jerusalem on Friday after three Palestinian gunmen opened fire at an Israeli police force in the ol...