Clashes in Occupied Al-Quds Ahead of Kerry Talks with Abbas

Local Editor

Clashes erupted in occupied east Al-Quds on Thursday ahead of talks between Washington's top diplomat John Kerry and Palestinian authority leader Mahmoud Abbas.

"Israeli" police clashed with Palestinian demonstrators in the city's Issawiya neighborhood as Abbas prepared to meet Kerry in Jordan's capital of Amman for talks focused on rising tensions in occupied east Al-Quds, particularly at the flashpoint al-Aqsa mosque compound.

After police blocked off several of the neighborhood's entrances with concrete blocks, around 100 residents tried to block the main road in protest.

"Israeli" police fired tear gas, percussion bombs and rubber bullets to break up the protest.

Months of unrest have escalated in recent days, spreading from occupied east Al-Quds to the occupied West Bank and other areas. Much of the unrest in occupied Al-Quds has been fueled by "Israeli" moves to step up settlement activity in the city and by tensions at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team