2022 Al-Aqsa clashes

2022 Al-Aqsa clashes
Part of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict
The Al-Aqsa compound, also known as the Temple Mount, where the clashes occurred
Date15 April 2022
(2 years ago)
Location
Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, Jerusalem
Caused by
  • Palestinian concerns over the status quo at Al-Aqsa[1][2]
  • Palestinians throwing stones at Israeli police[3]
Parties
Casualties and losses
3 police officers injured[4]
    • 1 Palestinian civilian killed by rubber bullet, 200+ injured[5]
    • 400 arrested

On 15 April 2022, clashes erupted between Palestinians and Israeli Security Forces on the Al-Aqsa compound in the Old City of Jerusalem. According to the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, the clashes began when Palestinians threw stones, firecrackers, and other heavy objects at Israeli police officers. The policemen used tear gas shells, stun grenades and police batons against the Palestinians.[6][7][8] Some Palestinians afterwards barricaded themselves inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque and proceeded to throw stones at the officers.[6][9] In response, police raided the mosque, arresting those who had barricaded themselves inside. In addition, some damage was done to the mosque's structure.[6][10][11]

Over the course of the clashes, around 160 Palestinians were injured, including a Waqf guard shot in the eye with a rubber bullet,[11] 4 women, 27 children, and one journalist. Approximately 400 people were arrested; the majority of them were released later that day.[6][12] Three Israeli police officers were also wounded.[6][4] Concerns were raised about possible excessive use of force by Israeli forces.[6]

The break-in into the mosque caused a stir among the Palestinian public, and many reactions among the international community.[13][14][15][16] The clashes were reported in the Arabic-speaking media as a storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque,[17][18] while Israeli authorities and media often use the term riots to refer to these events.[19][20]

Additional skirmishes, though more restricted, occurred in the days that followed at the Holy Sites and in and around the Old City.[6]

  1. ^ Kingsley, Patrick (April 22, 2022). "A Site Holy to Jews and Muslims Returns as the Nexus of Conflict". The New York Times. For months, the Israeli police protected Jewish worshipers at the site, breaking a decades-old understanding, aimed at preventing conflict, that allowed Jews to visit but not worship there. That change has created the impression among Palestinians that Israel is trying to unilaterally change the delicate status quo, and further undermine Muslim access to and oversight of one of the most sacred places in Islam.
  2. ^ Andrew Carey, Abeer Salman, Hadas Gold, Amir Tal and Michael Schwartz (15 April 2022). "Jerusalem on edge as violence flares at key holy site". CNN.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ "Jerusalem Calms After Israeli-Palestinian Clashes at Holy Site". The New York Times. 2022-04-15. Retrieved 2022-04-22.
  4. ^ a b "Jerusalem: Over 150 hurt in clashes at al-Aqsa Mosque compound". BBC News. 2022-04-15. Retrieved 2022-04-16.
  5. ^ MEE Staff (14 May 2022). "Palestinian dies from wounds sustained in Israeli raid at al-Aqsa Mosque". Middle East Eye.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g "Tor Wennesland Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Briefing to the Security Council on the Situation in the Middle East, 25 April 2022 - occupied Palestinian territory". ReliefWeb. Retrieved 2022-04-29.
  7. ^ "Jerusalem clashes destabilising for Israel and Palestine". The Economist Group. 20 April 2022. On both days, however, Israeli police stormed Al Aqsa in order to stop stone‑throwing and make arrests, crossing what many Palestinians regard as a red line.
  8. ^ Kingsley, Patrick; Abdulrahim, Raja (April 17, 2022). "Israeli Government Crisis Deepens After Closing of Major Mosque". The New York Times. The clashes on Sunday followed a more intense incident on Friday, when Israeli riot police officers, firing rubber-tipped bullets and stun grenades, stormed the main mosque in the compound to detain hundreds of Palestinians, many of whom had been throwing stones at them.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference :4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Kingsley, Patrick; Abdulrahim, Raja (2022-04-15). "Clashes Erupt at Jerusalem Holy Site on Day With Overlapping Holidays". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-04-16.
  11. ^ a b "Clashes erupt at Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque, at least 152 injured". Al Arabiya. 15 April 2022.
  12. ^ Fabian, Emanuel; Boxerman, Aaron; staff, T. O. I. "Over 150 injured, 400 arrested as Palestinians clash with cops on Temple Mount". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2022-04-16.
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference :5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference :6 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ Cite error: The named reference :7 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference :8 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  17. ^ Cite error: The named reference auto was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  18. ^ Chughtai, Dalia Hatuqa, Alia. "Timeline: Al-Aqsa raids, closures and restrictions". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2022-05-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  19. ^ staff, T. O. I. "Palestinians skirmish with police in latest riots on Temple Mount". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2022-05-20.
  20. ^ "Violent Clashes Erupt at Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Last Friday of Ramadan". Haaretz. Retrieved 2022-05-20.