Israel vowed on Sunday to restore order in Jerusalem after hundreds of Palestinian protesters were wounded in a weekend of clashes with Israeli security forces, while the justice ministry put off a key court ruling on a flashpoint property dispute.
Consecutive nights of violence around the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in the Old City has been the worst since 2017, fuelled by a years-long bid by Jewish settlers to take over nearby Palestinian homes in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem.
Ahead of a cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, also referred to as “Bibi”, warned that Israel “would decisively and responsibly impose law and order in Jerusalem”.
Amid growing international calls for a de-escalation, Tunisia said the UN Security Council was to hold a closed-door meeting on Monday, at its request, to discuss the violence.
Some 121 Palestinians were wounded in Saturday’s overnight clashes. Israeli police said 17 of its officers were wounded.
The previous night more than 220 people, again mostly Palestinians, were hurt as police stormed Al-Aqsa, saying Palestinians had thrown rocks and fireworks at officers.
Four Arab countries that normalised ties with Israel over the past year – the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan – all condemned Israel’s actions and voiced support for the Palestinians.
