Israeli police and Palestinians scuffled outside Jerusalem's Old City walls overnight into Sunday as tensions flared during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appealed for calm, urging cooler heads to prevail "on both sides."
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Hundreds of police officers in riot gear deployed around the capital's Old City after nightly clashes spilled into the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Some Palestinians threw stones and bottles as police on horseback dispersed the crowds, though the violence appeared less intense than on previous nights.
A statement by the Israel Police said that its troops "will employ all the means at their disposal to arrest rioters and prosecute them to the full extent of the law. We will not allow disruption of public order or any harm to come to security forces."
Police Commissioner Yaakov Shabtai said that officers from all districts have been redirected to Jerusalem to bolster the district police's deployment.
"I call on the public leaders from across the political spectrum, on the local and national level, to tone down the rhetoric and prevent further agitation so as to allow the public to get through the holidays in peace," he said.
Shabtai warned that "various radical elements are trying to fuel unrest. We will restore order and we will be deploy additional forces as needed in the coming days.
"We've deployed undercover officers as well as uniformed troops to ensure the freedom of worship for all residents and all visitors to Jerusalem, as we do every year," he stressed.
Clashes and violent incidents have occurred almost nightly in Jerusalem, holy to Muslims, Christians and Jews, since the start of Ramadan on April 13. Most center near the Damascus Gate in the Old City's walls and have flared in recent days as thousands pour out of the historic gateway after leaving the nearby Al-Aqsa Mosque following Ramadan nightly prayers.
Palestinians say police have tried to prevent them from holding their usual Ramadan evening gatherings outside the gate, where metal barriers have been put up.
Israelis have been angered by videos on social media showing Palestinians assaulting religious Jews in the city at random.
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