Police, Muslims Clash at Shrine in Israel

Riot police today fired tear gas and rubber bullets at thousands of stone-throwing Palestinians after Muslim prayers at Al Aqsa mosque, one of Islam’s holiest shrines.

Clouds of tear gas rose from the complex at Temple Mount, a Palestinian national symbol as well as the site of the ancient Jewish Temple destroyed by the Romans in AD 70. A barrage of shots was heard several hundred yards away.

At least five police officers and three Palestinians were injured, said Jerusalem police commander Yosef Yehudai.

Austrian television cameraman Wolfgang Scheider was hit in the face with a rock and collapsed when a barrage of stones were hurled at a building from which reporters watched the prayers. Scheider was taken to a hospital.

Police said they arrested 37 Palestinians.

A similar protest occurred in the West Bank city of Hebron. Hundreds of worshipers chanting nationalist slogans stoned troops who opened fire. Four Palestinians were wounded, and the army clamped a curfew on the city.

The violence in Jerusalem came after 25,000 people attended noon prayers on the first day of Ramadan, Islam’s holy month of fasting and religious fervor. After prayers, police said 4,000 worshipers raised five outlawed Palestinian flags and burned two Israeli flags. They chanted “Palestine is Muslim!” and ‘Allahu Akbar!” (God is great).