Tensions escalated on Saturday between Palestinians and Israeli forces following new clashes on Friday night in East Jerusalem, demonstrations in the West Bank, and rocket fire and bombardment in the Gaza Strip. The Associated Press warned in a report published on Saturday of a potential slip into chaos in Jerusalem, the day after the Israeli army carried out airstrikes on the Gaza Strip. Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi warned Israel that "Jerusalem is a red line," and that "tampering with it is playing with fire."
The Israeli army announced on Saturday that it had conducted airstrikes and tank shelling on sites in the Gaza Strip in response to "rocket fire from the Strip towards southern Israel on Friday night," stating that "36 rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip towards southern Israel."
The Israeli police reported that they arrested a 24-year-old Israeli man who tried to infiltrate the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound to carry out a stabbing attack while disguising himself as a Palestinian, according to Haaretz newspaper.
Safadi warned Israel, saying: "Jerusalem is a red line, and tampering with it is playing with fire," stressing that "we condemn the racist attacks on the Old City of occupied Jerusalem, and we warn of the consequences" while calling for effective international action to protect Jerusalem's residents from assaults, which represent hatred and racism.
Sheikh Mohammed Hussein, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, condemned in his sermon the "assault of police and settlers on Palestinians in Jerusalem," urging worshippers to "remain calm and not give the other side an excuse to invade the sanctum."
Israeli army spokesperson Avichai Adraee tweeted that "warplanes carried out strikes on underground infrastructure and rocket launch pads belonging to Hamas in the Gaza Strip, in response to the rocket fire from the Gaza Strip towards Israel." He added in another tweet that an Israeli tank "shelled a military site belonging to Hamas in Gaza in response to the rocket fire from the Strip."
The Israeli army indicated that the Iron Dome intercepted 6 of the 36 rockets launched from Gaza, while most fell in open areas.
Meanwhile, Israeli extremists assaulted Arab vehicles and properties in Jerusalem early on Saturday. During clashes in the Aqbat Jabr refugee camp near Jericho at dawn, two young men were shot by Israeli fire while protesting in solidarity with Jerusalem residents.
The West Bank and Gaza Strip witnessed demonstrations on Friday in protest against the assaults on Jerusalem residents, while gunmen launched rockets from Gaza toward Israel. In Bethlehem, hundreds performed Tarawih prayers at the northern entrance to the city leading to Jerusalem, in solidarity with Jerusalem residents. Dozens protested after the prayer, throwing stones at soldiers, leading to clashes that resulted in injuries among several demonstrators from rubber bullets and tear gas.
Many other cities, including Tulkarem and Gaza, also held popular demonstrations in solidarity with Jerusalem residents. Hundreds of citizens protested in the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque after Tarawih prayers, denouncing the assaults that injured more than 100 Jerusalem residents and led to numerous arrests.
Clashes began in the middle of this month after Israeli police set up barricades outside the Damascus Gate area in the Old City, but the confrontations intensified on Thursday evening when dozens of Palestinians were injured in clashes with Israeli security forces.
At the same time, a right-wing extremist Jewish group known as "Lehava" led a march of hundreds of demonstrators toward the Damascus Gate, chanting slogans of "death to Arabs" and "get out Arabs," in response to videos circulated on TikTok showing what they claimed to be "a Palestinian assault on an Israeli in the Damascus Gate area."
In this context, the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem expressed "serious concern" over the violence, stating in a statement, "We hope that all responsible voices will encourage an end to incitement and a return to calm while respecting the safety and dignity of all in Jerusalem."
Jordan strongly condemned the "racist assaults on Palestinians," with Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi tweeting, "As an occupying power under international law, Israel is responsible for stopping these attacks and for the serious consequences of failing to do so."
