Jerusalem on high alert as West Bank clashes continue

On Friday 5th April, Israeli occupation forces were deployed in Jerusalem, fear of more protests to be erupted in Jerusalem and the West Bank following the weekly Muslim prayers. The Israeli Police declared Thursday evening that the entry to the Al-Aqsa Mosque will be limited to those over the age of 50 and with Israeli-issued Jerusalem residency cards. There were no restrictions on women. Heightened security procedures have been imposed on Jerusalem, Israeli forces have been deployed to the Old City, and to Al-Aqsa Mosque's surrounding areas. It's worth mentioning, that clashes erupted in the West Bank in the past few days following the funerals of 64-year-old Maysara Abu Hamdiyeh, prisoner who died in Israeli Jail on Tuesday and of two teenagers shot dead by Israeli troops in subsequent clashes. Israeli soldiers fired rubber bullets in the southern city of Hebron after furious crowds lined the streets to pay their respects to Abu Hamdiyeh. Abu Hamdiyeh, who had served 10 years of a life term, died of throat cancer on Tuesday in hospital, sparking tensions among Palestinians who blamed Israel of medical negligence. As news of his death spread, protests that erupted in several places quickly turned into clashes with the Israeli Army, notably in Hebron, Abu Hamdiyeh's hometown. Near the northern village of Anabta close to Tulkarem, the clashes turned deadly on Wednesday, with two teenagers shot dead by troops. Tony Blair, the envoy of the peacemaking quartet, said on Friday he was "deeply troubled by the loss of life". "I am concerned about the deteriorating security situation on the ground," he said in a statement. "The situation in the West Bank is very volatile, with emotions running high."