Arab League to hold emergency session as Israel continues attacks against Palestinians in Jerusalem

The session will be chaired by Qatar on Monday and comes at the request of the State of Palestine, Ambassador Hossam Zaki, assistant secretary-general of the Arab States Council said.

The meeting will discuss Israeli crimes in the occupied holy city of Jerusalem, with particular focus on attacks on worshippers inside the Al Aqsa mosque, the official added.

The session will also deal with “an attempt to empty the holy city of its residents and displace its people,” he said, referring to the forced expulsion threat against four Palestinian families from Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem.

More than 200 people were wounded when Israeli riot police stormed the Al-Aqsa mosque compound late on Friday, firing tear gas and rubber-coated bullets at thousands of worshippers gathered in the last days of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Dozens of Israeli riot police entered the Al-Aqsa compound, also known as the Temple Mount, on Friday evening as thousands of Muslim worshippers were holding evening prayers on the last Friday of Ramadan.

The clashes came as tensions have soared over Israeli restrictions on access to parts of the Old City during Ramadan and the threat of eviction hanging over four Palestinian families in occuped east Jerusalem to make way for Israeli settlers.

Read also: US, UK lawmakers express support for Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah over forced evictions, violence

The United Nations released a statement condemning the forced evictions.

"The evictions, if ordered and implemented, would violate Israel's obligations under international law," the statement read.

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