Israel deploys additional police forces around Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa ahead of Ramadan

By Zein Khalil

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – Israeli police deployed additional forces Sunday around the flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem.

The deployment comes as thousands of Palestinians prepare to perform the Tarawih, special night prayers during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, on Sunday.

According to Israeli Channel 12, the police deployment comes amid concerns of a security flare-up in East Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank during Ramadan.

Text messages were sent to the phones of Jerusalem residents warning against involvement in any unrest, the broadcaster said.

Leaflets were also distributed in the eastern neighborhoods of East Jerusalem warning residents against “riots” during Ramadan, according to the channel.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world's third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews call the area the Temple Mount, saying it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. It annexed the entire city in 1980, a move never recognized by the international community.

Tensions have been running high across the West Bank since Israel launched a deadly military offensive against the Gaza Strip after a cross-border attack by Hamas last October.

At least 420 Palestinians have since been killed and more than 4,600 others injured by Israeli fire, according to the Health Ministry.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which in an interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza, where more than 31,000 people have been killed.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi