PA cracks down on rallies in support for Al-Aqsa Mosque

Palestinian Authority (PA) security services cracked down on two Palestinian rallies which took to the streets of the West Bank on Friday in support for Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Witnesses said that hundreds of official and undercover PA security forces flooded the streets where the rallies, which were called for by Hamas, were organised and attacked the protesters.

One of the rallies was attacked in front of Al-Nasr Mosque in the city of Nablus. Witnesses said that security forces used batons to beat the protesters when they arrived into Hitteen Street.

They also fired tear gas and arrested at least ten protesters and journalists, including journalist Tariq abu-Zaid, correspondent for Gaza-based Al-Aqsa TV.

Palestinian protective security services arrested two Hamas members in Al-Beerah city, near Ramallah, while they were on their way to the Grand Mosque in the city. One of them is Sa’ed abul-Bahaa, Hamas spokesman in the city.

Sources in the city said that the PA could not crackdown on the rally which took off from the Grand Mosque in Al-Beerah. The rally headed to Al-Manarah Square in central Ramallah.

The PA killed a Palestinian citizen the night before during a security campaign on the outskirts of Ramallah.