Al-Aqsa Mosque under Tight Security for Jewish, Muslim Holidays
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Israeli police said Monday that thousands of officers would be deployed in Jerusalem (al-Quds) ahead of the Yom Kippur and Eid al-Adha holidays after three days of clashes rocked the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound last week.
Authorities also said 21 Palestinians were arrested overnight in East Jerusalem (Eas al-Quds). Those arrests were in addition to 39 others in the West Bank and east Jerusalem at the weekend.
Yom Kippur begins Tuesday night and lasts until Wednesday evening, with thousands of Jews expected to visit the Western Wall below the Al-Aqsa compound in Jerusalem's Old City.
The Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday begins Wednesday and continues until Sunday.
Beginning on Monday night, traffic will be restricted around the Old City and checkpoints will be set up, AFP reported.
Last week's clashes occurred as Israel forces attacked Palestinian worshipers before Jewish New Year, or Rosh Hashanah.
There were also clashes in the alleyways of Jerusalem's Old City outside the mosque compound. Further unrest occurred on Friday in the occupied West Bank and sporadically in Jerusalem.