Israel arrests 25 Palestinians for stone-throwing at security forces

Israeli police arrested 25 Palestinians Monday, including five children, for throwing stones at security forces in Jerusalem, during further violence over the city's holiest site, said a police statement.

Tensions in Jerusalem have been escalating, with daily clashes between Palestinians and police forces.

The clashes started last Sunday, with Israeli security forces storming into the al-Aqsa mosque compound, to prevent Palestinian youths from harassing Orthodox Jews, there to visit the site on the occasion of the Jewish New Year.

The site is Holy to both Muslims and Jews. Palestinians interpret these visits as a provocation.

The police statement added that the detainees, five of whom are 10 and 11-years-old, were arrested as they hurled stones and firecrackers amid clashes with security forces in Jerusalem.

The Palestinian official news agency, WAFA, reported that dozens of Palestinians, including school students, were injured as Israeli forces attempted to disperse rallies throughout the West Bank and Jerusalem over "ongoing Israeli aggression" in the al-Aqsa mosque compound.

An additional 21 Palestinians were arrested overnight on suspicion of "prominent terrorism," including throwing stones and firebombs, Israeli police said.

Police were set to deploy 2,000 policemen across the city, fearing escalating violence Wednesday, since this year's Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha coincides with Yom Kippur, also known as the "day of atonement," the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

Jerusalem Police Commander, Moshe Edri, ordered a restriction on the entry of Palestinians to the al-Aqsa mosque compound Monday, effective immediately, permitting only men above 40 into the site.

He said these measures were taken to prevent youths from barricading themselves inside the mosque and clashing with police forces in the morning as the site receives Jewish visitors. Enditem