OCCUPIED JERUSALEM (PIC)– Israeli occupation authorities flooded occupied Jerusalem with over 3000 policemen and troops especially around the Aqsa Mosque anticipating the convergence of large numbers of Muslims in response to calls for a day of protest in support of the Aqsa Mosque.
Only those over 50 years of age were allowed to enter the Aqsa Mosque to perform the Friday prayers. Hebrew press did report on Thursday that the Israeli occupation police was going to apply more stringent measures and only allow those over 50 years of age to reach the Aqsa Mosque. Previously those over 45 years were allowed into the Aqsa.
In addition to the heavy police presence inside occupied Jerusalem itself more roadblocks were set up in the West Bank to stop West Bankers from traveling to the Holy City.
The Supreme Islamic Agency the Mufti of Jerusalem and the head of the Islamic Movement in 1948 occupied Palestine called Palestinians to converge on the Aqsa Mosque on Friday 16 February to protest the continuing Israeli excavations at the Bab al-Magharba gate of the Aqsa Mosque.
Meanwhile it was reported that clashes between Palestinians trying to enter the Holy City and Israeli occupation troops broke out at the Qalandia roadblock which isolates Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank. IOF troops used teargas and arrested young Palestinians some of them under 10 years of age.
