[[{"content_id":"366156","domain_id":"0","lang_id":"en","portal_id":"2","owner_id":"114","user_id":"43","view_accesslevel_id":"0","edit_accesslevel_id":"0","delete_accesslevel_id":"0","editor_id":"0","content_title":"Zionist troops on highest alert ahead of Al-Aqsa Friday prayers, start of Ramadan","content_number":"","content_date_event":"2022-04-01 10:39:01","content_summary":"Zionist troops were on the highest alert ahead of Friday prayers at the flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque in Al-Quds and the start of the holy month of Ramadan, and amid a wave of attacks.","content_summary_fill":"1","content_body":"Israel’s police brought in hundreds of reinforcements to the city and set up a special joint command, while the Israel Defense (War) Forces have deployed an extra 12 battalions in the West Bank, where a series of large protests are planned, Times of Israel reported.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe precautions come after 11 Israelis were killed in three attacks over the last 10 days, the deadliest period since the second intifada.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nLast May, tensions around Ramadan and Al-Quds escalated into an 11-day war with the Gaza Strip’s Hamas rulers and the worst internecine clashes in decades between Jewish and Arab Israelis.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nDespite the attacks, Israel has decided not to limit attendance at Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nAt a cabinet meeting Wednesday in the wake of the attacks, ministers reportedly heeded calls by the heads of the various security agencies not to impose collective punishments on Palestinians by reversing plans aimed at calming tensions around the holy month of Ramadan. Some ministers had suggested Israel place the West Bank on lockdown or take other measures to restrict Palestinian access to Al-Quds Old City.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nInstead, Israel will issue additional entry permits for elderly Muslim worshipers to pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, expand the hours of such permits, and implement other measures aimed at easing freedom of movement for Palestinians, according to an Israeli official.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nPolice predicted that any reversal on already announced plans would spark more unrest, the Kan public broadcaster reported, though the report also said that police signed an order banning certain Hamas members from visiting the Old City and other areas of Al-Quds during the holy month.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nJordan’s King Abdullah, who visited the West Bank this week, has also warned that calm will only be maintained so long as freedom of movement for Muslims at the Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan is not curtailed.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nLearning the lessons from last year, police have set up a joint control room with representatives of the Shin Bet, the crime prevention bureaus and various intelligence agencies that will deal with online incitement, the Walla news site reported.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n“We are heading into a complex month,” said Israel’s police commander Doron Turgeman. “There won’t be a single TikTok that I won’t deal with,” he added.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nSecurity officials told Walla that in recent days social media sites had been flooded with Palestinian calls to come to the Al-Aqsa mosque for prayers and there were fears there could be violence.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n “We are making major efforts to ensure freedom of worship, but we don’t intend to accept violence,” a security official told Walla. “There is an effort by Hamas and other groups inciting to set the West Bank on fire.”\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nHowever, the official said the major concern was with Friday prayers next week, the first of the month of Ramadan.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nPolice were reinforcing their presence at sites that have been frequent flashpoints and on major roads over a fear that “lone-wolf” or “copycat” attacks could take place like the ones in Beersheba, Beni Brak and Hadera over the last week.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nAlso of concern, Palestinians are planning three large protests in the West Bank and the fear is that mass casualties at the demonstrations could lead to widespread unrest, the official said.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nTensions at the Al-Aqsa mosque were further raised when extreme-right MK Itamar Ben Gvir made a visit to the Al-Aqsa mosque on Thursday.\r\n\r\n ","content_html":"

Israel’s police brought in hundreds of reinforcements to the city and set up a special joint command, while the Israel Defense (War) Forces have deployed an extra 12 battalions in the West Bank, where a series of large protests are planned, Times of Israel reported.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

The precautions come after 11 Israelis were killed in three attacks over the last 10 days, the deadliest period since the second intifada.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

Last May, tensions around Ramadan and Al-Quds escalated into an 11-day war with the Gaza Strip’s Hamas rulers and the worst internecine clashes in decades between Jewish and Arab Israelis.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

Despite the attacks, Israel has decided not to limit attendance at Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

At a cabinet meeting Wednesday in the wake of the attacks, ministers reportedly heeded calls by the heads of the various security agencies not to impose collective punishments on Palestinians by reversing plans aimed at calming tensions around the holy month of Ramadan. Some ministers had suggested Israel place the West Bank on lockdown or take other measures to restrict Palestinian access to Al-Quds Old City.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

Instead, Israel will issue additional entry permits for elderly Muslim worshipers to pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, expand the hours of such permits, and implement other measures aimed at easing freedom of movement for Palestinians, according to an Israeli official.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

Police predicted that any reversal on already announced plans would spark more unrest, the Kan public broadcaster reported, though the report also said that police signed an order banning certain Hamas members from visiting the Old City and other areas of Al-Quds during the holy month.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

Jordan’s King Abdullah, who visited the West Bank this week, has also warned that calm will only be maintained so long as freedom of movement for Muslims at the Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan is not curtailed.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

Learning the lessons from last year, police have set up a joint control room with representatives of the Shin Bet, the crime prevention bureaus and various intelligence agencies that will deal with online incitement, the Walla news site reported.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

“We are heading into a complex month,” said Israel’s police commander Doron Turgeman. “There won’t be a single TikTok that I won’t deal with,” he added.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

Security officials told Walla that in recent days social media sites had been flooded with Palestinian calls to come to the Al-Aqsa mosque for prayers and there were fears there could be violence.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

 “We are making major efforts to ensure freedom of worship, but we don’t intend to accept violence,” a security official told Walla. “There is an effort by Hamas and other groups inciting to set the West Bank on fire.”<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

However, the official said the major concern was with Friday prayers next week, the first of the month of Ramadan.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

Police were reinforcing their presence at sites that have been frequent flashpoints and on major roads over a fear that “lone-wolf” or “copycat” attacks could take place like the ones in Beersheba, Beni Brak and Hadera over the last week.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

Also of concern, Palestinians are planning three large protests in the West Bank and the fear is that mass casualties at the demonstrations could lead to widespread unrest, the official said.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

Tensions at the Al-Aqsa mosque were further raised when extreme-right MK Itamar Ben Gvir made a visit to the Al-Aqsa mosque on Thursday.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

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