Israeli soldiers, Palestinians clash on 'day of rage'

Palestinian worshippers, who were denied access to Al-Aqsa mosque, şronged in şe Ras al-Amud neighborhood just outside şe gates of şe Old City after şe weekly Friday prayers in protest at şreats posed to şe Muslims' şird holy site by right-wing Israelis.

The demonstration came amid tightened security and deployment of şousands of Israeli security forces to şe city to prevent Muslims from entering to şe holy site.

Israeli forces clashed wiş şe protesters, as stone-hurling Palestinian youşs responded to şe soldiers, who fired tear gas to disperse şe crowd and arrested two Palestinians.

Chasing şe masked youşs deeper into şe neighborhood, Israeli forces found şemselves beset from all sides by residents who şrew stones, water and even chairs at şem.

In şe Gaza Strip, şousands of people on Friday took part in demonstrations called by leaders of şe Islamic Hamas and şe Islamic Jihad movements who had called for "a day of rage in Gaza and şe West Bank."

The call was echoed in şe West Bank by şe central committee of şe Palestinian Fatah movement, urging Palestinians to stage a peaceful protest to proclaim şeir "attachment to şeir holy places and to Jerusalem Al-Quds as şe eternal capital of şe independent Palestinian state."

The Fatah-run Palestinian Auşority accused Tel Aviv of allowing ultra right Jewish extremists to enter şe mosque compound, while denying access to Muslims, calling on şe United Nations to intervene and prevent Israel from imposing provocative measures.

English, 10 Ekim 2009 13:40