Palestinians have vowed to continue protesting the new Israeli security measures being imposed at the holy al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, saying the new proposal to install surveillance cameras is just as bad as the metal detectors Israel installed earlier this month, sparking massive protests. Palestinian activist Mohammad Abu al-Hommos said, “Above all else, this is an issue of control and power. I want to go in and out of al-Aqsa as I please—who are they to surveil me?”
Israel was forced to remove the metal detectors after widespread protests and violence, which killed seven people—four Palestinians and three Israelis. Israeli troops have also injured more than 1,000 Palestinian protesters by shooting them with live fire, rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas and stun grenades.
Amnesty International says heavily armed Israeli troops also raided a Palestinian hospital twice during the protests on July 17 and July 21, harassing the staff and chasing wounded protesters who were trying to receive treatment after being attacked by the soldiers. The hospital’s head of reception, Talal al-Sayed, said, “They invaded the entire hospital. … They even entered the neonatal unit. … What do they want in there? It was pure terrorization of the patients.”