Israeli police deployed additional forces around the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Al-Quds/Jerusalem on Sunday.
The deployment of additional forces comes as thousands of Palestinians prepare to perform tarawih prayers, a special night prayer during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which begins tonight.
Israel’s CHANNEL 12 reports that the police deployment comes amid concerns that there will be a security crisis in East Al-Quds and the occupied West Bank during Ramadan.
Residents of Al-Quds received text messages on their phones warning them not to engage in any unrest, according to the broadcaster.
It added that leaflets were distributed in the eastern neighborhoods of East Al-Quds, warning residents of “riots” during Ramadan.
Al-Aqsa is the third holiest site for Muslims, while Jews call the area the “Temple Mount”, claiming that in ancient times there were two Jewish temples on the site.
Since 2003, Israel has allowed Israeli settlers to enter the compound almost every day, except for Fridays and Saturdays.
During the Arab-Israeli war in 1967, Israel occupied East Al-Quds (Jerusalem), where Al-Aqsa is located, and in 1980 it annexed the entire city, which the international community never recognized.
Tensions have been rising across the West Bank since Israel launched a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by Hamas on October 7.
At least 420 Palestinians have since been killed in the West Bank and more than 4,600 injured by Israeli fire, according to the Ministry of Health.
Israel has been charged with genocide before the International Court of Justice, which in an interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to ensure humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza, where more than 31,000 Palestinians have been killed, AA writes.
