A stampede at a religious festival in Israel attended by tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews kills at least 45.
Israelis on Monday were set to mark Jerusalem Day, a national holiday celebrating the annexation. In past years, thousands of Israelis mainly religious nationalists have marched through the Old City, including the densely populated Muslim Quarter, in a display considered provocative by many Palestinians.
In recent days, hard-line Israelis have staged other events in east Jerusalem, leading to scattered, violent altercations with Palestinians.
Holy hilltop
Monday’s clashes took place in and around the Al Aqsa Mosque in the Old City. The mosque is the third-holiest site in Islam and sits on a sprawling plateau that is also home to the iconic golden Dome of the Rock. Muslims refer to the compound as the Noble Sanctuary.
Joseph Krauss
Associated Press
JERUSALEM For weeks now, Palestinian protesters and Israeli police have clashed on a daily basis in and around Jerusalem s Old City, home to major religious sites sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims and the emotional epicenter of the Middle East conflict.
Jerusalem has been the scene of violent confrontations between Jews and Arabs for 100 years and remains one of the most bitterly contested cities on Earth. The latest clashes began a month ago with an Israeli move to block some Palestinian gatherings at the beginning of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, already a time of heightened religious sensitivities. After those restrictions eased, tensions over a plan to evict dozens of Palestinians from an east Jerusalem neighborhood continued to fuel confrontations.
Toronto residents protest situation in East Jerusalem that left hundreds of Palestinians injured toronto.ctvnews.ca - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from toronto.ctvnews.ca Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Israeli border police officers detain a Palestinian demonstrator during clashes with protesters in east Jerusalem. Here s a look at why Jerusalem always seems to be on edge – and what set off the latest round of violence. Capital of two peoples Israel views Jerusalem as its “unified, eternal” capital. It had captured east Jerusalem, which includes the Old City, in the 1967 Mideast war, along with the West Bank and Gaza. Palestinians want those territories for their future state, with east Jerusalem serving as their eventual capital. But Israel annexed the eastern part of the city in a move not recognised internationally.
Palestinians fear loss of family homes as forced evictions loom
Dozens of Palestinian families in east Jerusalem are at risk of losing their homes to Jewish settler groups following a decades-long legal battle.
By JOSEPH KRAUSSAssociated Press
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Samira Dajani holds a photo of her family in 1956 after they moved into their home in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of east Jerusalem, Sunday. The Dajanis are one of several Palestinian families facing imminent eviction in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of east Jerusalem. Maya Alleruzzo/Associated Press
JERUSALEM When Samira Dajani’s family moved into their first real home in 1956 after years as refugees, her father planted trees in the garden, naming them for each of his six children.