B’Tselem an Israeli human rights group said that Israel’s sweeping disregard for the well-being and safety of tens of thousands of east Jerusalem native residents led recently to four Palestinian fatalities and dozens of injuries and considerably disrupted their lives.
In a press release on Monday B’Tselem stated that the recent harsh measures initiated by the Israeli authorities at the Aqsa Mosque compound led to harsh consequences including the killing of four Palestinians and the injury of 100 protesters by the police on July 21 in Jerusalem.
Testimonies gathered by the rights group as well as video footage published in the media indicate that the police used excessive and unjustified force against the worshippers.
B’Tselem’s investigation shows that in at least one instance during Friday noon prayer in the Ras al-Amud area of east Jerusalem Israeli police forces began firing crowd control means as soon as the prayers ended.
According to the Red Cross between Friday July 14 2017 and Sunday July 23 2017 approximately 120 persons were taken to Jerusalem hospitals to be treated for various injuries mainly tear-gas inhalation gunshot wounds from rubber-coated metal bullets and other physical trauma.
At least two people were injured by direct hits from stun and teargas canisters one was hit in the eye by a rubber-coated metal bullet and another one was injured by shrapnel from a stun grenade.
In addition last Friday police forces raided al-Makassed Hospital in east Jerusalem fired stun and teargas grenades in the yard of the hospital and used violence against the medical staff hospital employees and visitors.
In at least one case police officers disrupted the medical treatment of a seriously injured person.
B’Tselem described such police actions as “entirely unjustified.”
