Israeli forces fire live bullets at Palestinian protesters

Israeli police and border control troops started on Wednesday firing live bullets at protesters throwing stones and Molotov cocktails in defence of the al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem, following new instructions, according to Israeli newspaper Maariv.

The troops fired live bullets at a young Palestinian man who was allegedly running towards them with a Molotov cocktail in his hand, Maariv said. The young man was injured in his lower body.

This came less than 24 hours after Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced that Israel was changing its policies to allow the police and the army to fire live bullets at protesters who throw stones and Molotov cocktails.

Israeli troops have been escalating their aggression in Palestinian neighbourhoods around the old town of Jerusalem and the holy site, amidst ongoing tensions and rage in response to the continuous violations of the al-Aqsa mosque. Israeli troops have also been banning Muslims from entering the mosque in the morning under the pretext that tourists and Jews visit the site during those hours.

On Wednesday, Netanyahu announced a change in Israel's policies regarding the firing of live bullets at protesters, not only in occupied Jerusalem, but also inside Israel, in Galilee and Negev. He also announced he would reinforce retaliatory action and fines imposed by Israel on the parents of Palestinian children throwing stones at Israeli troops.

On Tuesday, Netanyahu held an emergency meeting with security officials and the Israeli government’s judicial adviser to discuss ways to counter the resistance in Jerusalem.

Despite the Knesset's approval of an amendment in July to raise the punishment for throwing stones to 20 years in prison, Netanyahu said he intended to add another amendment to include a minimum prison sentence.

Erdan said that judges who issue reduced sentences for Palestinians would not be promoted.

This comes after public security minister Gilad Erdan considered the Israeli judiciary lenient regarding the enforcement of the legal amendments.

In addition, Netanyahu asked the Israeli government's judicial adviser to allow for snipers and integrate them in the border control troops to disperse protests.

Meanwhile, Erdan's demands seem to have found support as he pressured the Israeli judiciary. On Thursday, Israeli website Walla said that a judge in the Jerusalem District Court criticised the prosecution and attorneys in Israel, accusing them of making deals with Palestinian defendants charged with throwing stones and Molotov cocktails and giving them reduced sentences.

Wallah also said that the vice president of the Jerusalem District Court, judge Moshe Drori, criticised on Wednesday a deal made by the prosecution with a Palestinian young man charged with "security violations" and throwing stones and Molotov cocktails. The deal gave the young man a 34-month imprisonment sentence, prompting Drori to question its adequacy.

"It seems to me that through the prosecution, the state of Israel has tied my hands. Soon, after 34 months, the defendant will be released from prison, with ideological beliefs that grew stronger in prison", Drori said, according to Walla.

Drori’s statements resonate with last week's statements by Erdan, who said that judges who issue reduced sentences for Palestinians would not be promoted.