Israeli forces scuffle with Palestinians at al-Aqsa compound

Israeli forces have once again scuffled with Palestinian Muslim worshipers at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound which lies in the Israeli-occupied Old City of al-Quds (Jerusalem).

In a video obtained by Reuters on Tuesday, Israeli troops could be seen pushing a crowd of worshipers who were angry at the presence of some extremist Jewish men at the holy Muslim site.

The footage also shows Israeli policemen escorting the Jewish people outside the compound.

Israeli media reports said the scuffles began when Jewish extremists entered the holy site.

Meanwhile, a police spokeswoman said in a statement that at least nine Jews were removed from the compound.

The statement noted that more Israeli forces were sent to the site to maintain peace and order.  

This comes as the Tel Aviv regime has already deployed thousands of troops across al-Quds and other occupied territories during the week-long Jewish holiday of Passover.

The al-Aqsa Mosque compound, revered by Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary, is a flashpoint. In August last year, restrictions were imposed on Palestinian worshipers visiting the holy site, prompting the fury of the Palestinians.

Palestinians are also angry over Israeli settler attacks in the occupied territories and repeated desecration of the al-Aqsa compound by extremist settlers, who are usually accompanied by Israeli military forces.

At least 210 Palestinians, including children and women, have lost their lives at the hands of Israeli forces in what is regarded as the third Palestinian Intifada since the beginning of last October.  

Israeli forces clash with demonstrators in West Bank

In a separate incident on Tuesday, Israeli troops fired tear gas grenades to disperse Palestinian demonstrators near Ofer checkpoint in the occupied West Bank.

The demonstrators were protesting against the detention of Palestinian journalist Omar Nazzal who was detained on April 23 by the Israeli regime forces.  

Musa al-Shaer, a Palestinian journalist at the rally, demanded that the Israeli authorities immediately release the journalist. "(We are here to protest) the continuation of the arrest of Omar Nazzal, a member of the General Secretariat of the Journalists Syndicate and to demand his immediate release. Also, to condemn his arrest by the occupation authorities which had him arrested while he was on his way with journalists syndicate delegations to participate in a conference for European Federation for Journalists."

Tel Aviv has targeted Palestinian and foreign journalists reporting on the Palestinian cause for decades.

In addition to using physical violence on Palestinian journalists, the Israeli forces also limit the journalists' freedom of movement by setting up road blocks to prevent journalists from reaching their destination and reporting on the atrocities against the Palestinian people. 

Although journalists' rights are violated by the Israeli forces, the journalists in Palestine are firm on uncovering the truth and exposing the atrocities committed against the Palestinian people. 

In recent months, Israeli forces have also raided several Palestinian radio and TV channels across the occupied territories.  

Last month, Israeli forces stormed the West bank offices of Palestine Today television and arrested a manager, claiming that the TV has been fueling violence across the occupied territories.

On November 28, 2015, Israeli troops raided the offices of Radio Dream in the southern occupied West Bank city of al-Khalil (Hebron), confiscating its broadcasting equipment and shutting it down.

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