A group of Palestinian youths attacked the car of an Israeli traveling in East Jerusalem with rocks after a violent day in Jerusalem saw hundreds of Arabs protest Israeli restrictions on Muslim worshippers wanting to enter Al-Aqsa Mosque.

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Uria Stav, a 24-year-old from Ness Ziona was traveling to the International Christian Embassy in East Jerusalem, when he ran into traffic as he passed by the Augusta Victoria Hospital. He was then approached by an Arab youth who asked him the time in Arabic.





"I didn't know if to respond, because I don't know Arabic, but then he understood I was Jewish," Stav said.

"It was a test, afterwards dozens of kids arrived and rocks began raining on my car. They destroyed two of its mirrors and attempted to open the door," Stav recalled.

According to Stav, a police unit was present at the scene and was also hit by the onslaught. "It was very frightening, I just tried to get out of there," he said.

Stav managed to get his car in reverse and move away from the group, but that was not the end of his frightening ordeal. "They continued pelting me with stones, and called for their friends at the end of the street to throw rocks at me as well. It's nothing short of a miracle that I got out without any physical injuries."

Temple Mount tensions

Hundreds of Arabs protested Wednesday morning at the entrance to the Lions' Gate in Jerusalem against police decision to limit the age of Muslim worshippers wanting to enter Al-Aqsa Mosque to pray to over 50s.

Several Arab MKs joined the protesters including Jamal Zahalka and Hanin Zoabi, who confronted the Border Police officers at the scene and told them: "We have a right to enter."

Video: Mohammed Shinawi (צילום: מוחמד שינאווי)

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After the confrontation with the police, the Arab MKs were allowed entry to Temple Mount. However, after a situation assessment, the police decided to close the Temple Mount for visitors at 10:15am due to "operational considerations."

MK Hanin Zoabi arguing with Border Police at entrance to Temple Mount (Photo: Mohammed Sinawi)

Arab MKs leading protest outside Temple Mount (Photo: Mohammed Sinawi)

The protest was also attended by Sheikh Kamal Khatib, the deputy leader of the northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel, as well as other Muslim leaders who called to defend al-Aqsa Mosque.

The protesters raised signs with the slogans "Al Aqsa belong to us, not to the Jews" and "We will enter the mosque with force and sacrifice our lives and our families' lives for al-Aqsa".

Protesters outside the Temple Mount (Photo: Mohammed Sinawi)

After entering the Temple Mount, Zoabi told Ynet that "we are standing here at the Al-Aqsa mosque facing Israeli hostility and in the very heart of the conflict. Israel is trying to take over and prove its sovereignty over the mosque. We see the struggle for Jerusalem's sovereignty as the capital of the Palestinian state to be at the heart of the Palestinian struggle."

Protesters outside the Temple Mount (Photo: Mohammed Sinawi)

Zoabi went on to say that "Israel's construction is a symbol of its denial of Palestinian rights even here. We're here on behalf of the Palestinian people. Israel is not just putting Gaza under blockade, but Jerusalem as well that is being cut off of its natural link to the West Bank. It's even preventing women from praying at Al-Aqsa. There's no solution without Palestinian sovereignty over Jerusalem, even if Netanyahu doesn't want this."

Photo: Mohammed Sinawi

Elsewhere in the Old City, masked Palestinians threw stones and fired firecrackers at police forces deployed to the area. The police force pushed the rioters back using crowd dispersal means.

At the Gate of the Tribes, Arab youth hurled stones at police forces. Four of them were arrested while three policemen were lightly wounded from the stones being thrown at them.