Israeli police arrest three Turkish nationals at al-Aqsa Mosque compound
Israeli police have arrested three Turkish tourists at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound amid protests across the occupied Palestinian territories against the US decision to recognize Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel’s capital.
The Turkish nationals were arrested after being "involved in an incident in Jerusalem [al-Quds]'s Old City after Friday prayers," Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said on Saturday without providing further details.
The three individuals may go on trial at an Israeli court later on Saturday, Rosenfeld said.
A video circulating on social media shows a number of men in red shirts with the Turkish flag clashing with police forces in the occupied Old City.
According to Turkey's state-run news agency Anadolu, two of the arrested individuals who had dual Turkish and Belgium citizenship were arrested for "assaulting Israeli police and resisting police" while the third man was accused of "disturbing public order and taking part in an illegal demonstration."
Turkey has adopted a tough stance against the US decision on Jerusalem al-Quds. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pledged on December 10 that Ankara would not abandon the Palestinian city to the mercy of a regime “that kills children."
On December 6, US President Donald Trump announced his decision to recognize Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel’s capital and relocate the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem al-Quds.
The dramatic shift in Washington’s Jerusalem al-Quds policy has drawn fierce criticism from the international community, including the United States’ Western allies, and triggered demonstrations against the US and Israel worldwide.
So far, 14 Palestinian protesters have been killed by Israeli forces and hundreds of others wounded during the ongoing rallies across the occupied Palestinian territories.
On Thursday, the United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly voted in favor of a resolution that calls on the US to withdraw its controversial decision.
In an attempt to avert the resolution, Trump had warned that “we’re watching,” threatening reprisals against countries that back the measure, which earlier faced a US veto at the UN Security Council.
Israel, however, rejected the world body’s resolution while thanking Trump for his decision to move US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem al-Quds.
Jerusalem al-Quds remains at the core of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with Palestinians hoping that the eastern part of the city would eventually serve as the capital of a future independent Palestinian state.
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