Big News Today: A young man was shot dead by Israeli forces in the compound of Al-Aqsa Mosque! MAK NEWS-21

The Israeli army shot dead a man in the compound of Al-Aqsa Mosque for allegedly stabbing two officers.   The young man was accused of stabb...

The Israeli army shot dead a man in the compound of Al-Aqsa Mosque for allegedly stabbing two officers.

 

The young man was accused of stabbing two Israeli police officers. File photo: AP

According to the AFP news agency, the incident took place at around 4.30 pm local time in one of the doors of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem.

 

Read more: Ban on eviction of Palestinian families from East Jerusalem

The man was identified as 19-year-old Karim Jamal al-Qawasmi, and was pronounced dead at the scene by medical staff.

Israeli police said in a statement that the assailant pulled out a knife and attacked one officer, another was injured in the incident and both were taken to hospital for medical treatment.

Israeli police say two officers were slightly injured in the alleged knife attack.

In a video circulating on social media, a young man could be seen piled on the ground after being shot, although the video could not be independently verified.

Israeli forces closed all entrances to Al-Aqsa Mosque after the incident, but reopened them shortly thereafter. 

 

Also read: Israeli army fires on Palestinian protesters, one killed

The young man was a resident of the Al-Tur area of ​​East Jerusalem, and the Israeli army raided his home after his death and arrested his brother and mother.

Israel annexed the eastern part of Jerusalem in 1967 in violation of international law. Most countries consider East Jerusalem an occupied territory and do not recognize Israeli sovereignty or illegal settlements there.

Palestinian officials claim that East Jerusalem will be the capital of a future Palestinian state, including the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

On March 1, the Israeli army shot dead three Palestinians in two separate incidents in the occupied West Bank.

Read more: When and how did Israel occupy Palestine, how many lives were lost?

On the same day, Israeli forces tried to violently suppress Palestinian celebrations on the night of Ascension at the gates of the old city of Damascus.

At least 30 Palestinians, including children, were injured in the Israeli violence, which involved the use of sten grenades and rubber-coated steel bullets, and 20 people were arrested after the incident.