Israel targets Palestinian marathon coinciding with Israeli event in Jerusalem

The Israeli occupation forces attacked a Palestinian marathon in the occupied city of Jerusalem on Friday which coincided with a similar event organised by the Israeli-run municipality in the city, Shehab.ps has reported.

From the early morning, large numbers of Israeli security forces were deployed across the main streets of West and East Jerusalem to protect the Israeli marathon, in which foreign runners took part. The occupation troops attacked Palestinian activists who organised the rival marathon, the route of which was only in East Jerusalem.

According to eyewitnesses, the Israeli occupation forces attacked and arrested Palestinian activist Mohamed Abul-Hommos, who is from Jerusalem. They confiscated his car, Palestine flags and running kit prepared for the race. A second Jerusalemite activist, Fadi Lamtour, was also arrested as part of the Israeli efforts to undermine the Palestinian event.

Read: Marathon in occupied Jerusalem is ‘serving Israeli goals’ [2017]

Israeli security forces take a Palestinian into custody, who was protesting the 8th annual International Jerusalem Marathon by organising another marathon in Jerusalem on March 09, 2018 [Mostafa Alkharouf / Anadolu Agency]

Israeli security forces take a Palestinian into custody, who was protesting the 8th annual International Jerusalem Marathon by organising another marathon in Jerusalem on March 09, 2018 [Mostafa Alkharouf / Anadolu Agency]

Israeli forces clash with Palestinians, who were protestisng the 8th annual International Jerusalem Marathon by organising another marathon in Jerusalem on March 09, 2018 [Mostafa Alkharouf / Anadolu Agency]

Israeli forces clash with Palestinians, who were protestisng the 8th annual International Jerusalem Marathon by organising another marathon in Jerusalem on March 09, 2018 [Mostafa Alkharouf / Anadolu Agency]

Israeli forces clash with Palestinians, who were protestisng the 8th annual International Jerusalem Marathon by organising another marathon in Jerusalem on March 09, 2018 [Mostafa Alkharouf / Anadolu Agency]

Israeli security forces take a Palestinian into custody, who was protesting the 8th annual International Jerusalem Marathon by organising another marathon in Jerusalem on March 09, 2018 [Mostafa Alkharouf / Anadolu Agency]

Israeli security forces take security measures during the Israel-organised annual International Jerusalem Marathon [Mostafa Alkharouf / Anadolu Agency]

Participants compete during the 8th annual International Jerusalem Marathon in Jerusalem on March 09, 2018 [Mostafa Alkharouf / Anadolu Agency]

Israeli security forces take security measures during the Israel-organised 8th annual International Jerusalem Marathon in Jerusalem on March 09, 2018. [Mostafa Alkharouf / Anadolu Agency]