Israel On High Alert for Possible Palestinian Rioting After Peace Plan
JERUSALEM, Israel – Israeli security forces are bracing themselves for a possible new round of violence Friday by Palestinians who are protesting President Donald Trump’s “Deal of the Century” Israeli Palestinian peace plan.
Early Friday morning, Israeli police dispersed a crowd of Palestinian worshippers on the Temple Mount who began chanting nationalistic slogans after morning prayers. Police said they would bolster forces around the Temple Mount on Friday to anticipate any further unrest.
شرطة الاحتلال تطلق الرصاص المطاطي تجاه المصلين في المسجد الأقصى فجر اليوم. pic.twitter.com/PjeLq6g0HV
— المركز الفلسطيني للإعلام (@PalinfoAr) January 31, 2020
#شاهد.. اقتحام قوات الاحتلال للمسجد الأقصى بعد صلاة الفجر.#الفجر_العظيم pic.twitter.com/iBdD0cwqDu
— المركز الفلسطيني للإعلام (@PalinfoAr) January 31, 2020
While the military believes the disturbances will be restrained, they are prepared for anything.
“No matter the decision by the politicians, the IDF will know how to provide security,” Operations Division head Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva told Israel’s Channel 13 News on Thursday. “We are ready for outbreaks of violence in any way. We’ve bolstered the number of battalions in the West Bank and Gaza.
On Wednesday, Palestinians protested throughout the West Bank and Gaza and two Palestinians were arrested on suspicion of trying to stab a police officer on the Temple Mount.
Israel’s Channel 12 reports that eight Palestinians were also arrested for allegedly throwing rocks at Israeli cars near Ramallah Thursday night.
Tension have increased between along Israel’s southern border and Gazan terrorists have fired rockets and explosive balloons at Israelis over the last few days.
The Israel Defense Forces attacked a number of Hamas targets in Gaza, including “undergound infrastructure used to manufacture weapons, the army said in a statement.
Palestinian leaders firmly rejected President Trump’s peace plan, with Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat on Thursday calling it “historic madness.”
Palestinian Media Watch (PMW), an Israeli nongovernmental group, says Palestinian leaders encouraged Palestinians to “escalate the resistance” – a euphemism for martyrdom and violence – before the peace plan was released.
