![Mustafa Barghouti, Secretary-General of the Palestinian National Initiative Movement, during clashes with IOF in the Lions Gate area of occupied East Jerusalem [Qudspress]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/2017_07_18-Mustafa-Barghouti-during-clashes-with-IOF-in-the-Lions-Gate-area-of-occupied-East-Jerusalem1596cfc0c7b5f4_QGFMLEHKNJIPO.jpg?fit=1200%2C696&ssl=1)
The Secretary-General of the Palestinian National Initiative Movement (PNI) Mustafa Barghouti was hit in the head by a rubber coated bullet yesterday evening during clashes with Israeli occupation forces in the Lions’ Gate area of occupied East Jerusalem.
According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, Barghouti was transferred to Al-Makassed Hospital in the city. Three other Palestinians were injured while performing evening prayers as a result of an attack by Israeli occupation forces in the same area.
Hundreds of Palestinians and Arab Israelis performed evening prayers on the main street opposite Lion’s Gate, led by the Mufti of Jerusalem, Sheikh Mohammad Hussein, and a number of religious scholars. This was followed by confrontations during which Israeli soldiers fired tear gas and arrested at least two young men.
Barghouti had stated earlier that Israeli oppression would not break the will of Jerusalemites, calling on Palestinians to support the people of Jerusalem and the Palestinians who remain in the city, and not to forsake them in the battle for the Muslim holy site.
He called on Arab and Muslim countries to impose sanctions and boycott Israel in order to deter it from its practices towards Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Israeli forces closed Al-Aqsa Mosque to all worshipers on Friday and prevented them from praying there for the first time since 1969.
The occupation forces reopened the mosque on Sunday but forced worshippers and employees to go through intrusive security checks, which Muslims have been refusing to do.
Meanwhile, settlers have been storming the mosque’s courtyards on a daily basis.