Rocket sirens sound in Jerusalem, central Israel amid Temple Mount clashes

Rocket sirens sounded in central Israel and Jerusalem on Monday evening as thousands of Israelis were parading through downtown to celebrate Jerusalem Day. Hamas had threatened Israel earlier in the day that it would launch the rockets due to the ongoing clashes in Jerusalem.Hamas took responsibility for the rocket fire saying that it was “in response to [Israeli] crimes and aggression against the holy city and harassment of our people in Sheikh Jarrah and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and this is a message that the enemy should understand well.”

The moves were made as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz were briefed on the current security situation by senior security officials including IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kohavi, the head of the Shin Bet Nadav Argaman, Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai, National Security Adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat, Public Security Minister Amir Ohana and others.

The IDF closed a number of roads near the Gaza border and instructed farmers to stop all work near the border on Monday afternoon. Additionally, train traffic between Ashkelon and Beersheba and to Sderot, Netivot and Ofakim was temporarily halted on Monday afternoon after orders by security officials.

The Shaar Hanegev Regional Council announced that it would be cancelling all extracurricular activities in the council.Additionally, due to the tensions, the path of flights into Ben-Gurion Airport were altered to descend via the north instead of from over Tel Aviv.

The drill, known as “Chariots of Fire,” was meant to be the military’s largest exercise and would have involved all units of the IDF. But, “following a situational assessment, Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi decided to postpone the ‘Chariots of Fire’ exercise for at least the next day and ordered the IDF to focus its efforts on preparation and readiness for the possible scenarios of escalating [violence],” the military said in a statement.

The military has also sent reinforcements from the elite Maglan commando unit and two training companies from the IDF Officer’s School to the Gaza Division following a situational assessment.

On Monday afternoon, Abu Ubaida, the spokesman of the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, warned that the terrorist groups in Gaza were giving Israel until 6 p.m. to withdraw security forces from the Temple Mount and Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood and to release all those detained in the recent clashes.

Three rockets were launched on Monday morning towards the college town of Sderot and neighboring communities around 6.20AM, and at least one was successfully intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system. There were no reports of injuries or damage.

Following the rocket-fire, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), Maj.-Gen. Rassan Alian announced the immediate closure of the Erez Crossing until further notice, except for humanitarian and exceptional cases.

The move follows the decision yesterday to close the fishing zone, and in response to the continued launching of rockets and incendiary balloons from the Gaza Strip.

“The Hamas terrorist organization is accountable for all that is done in and from the Gaza Strip toward the State of Israel, and it will therefore bear the consequences for the violence committed against the country’s citizens,” COGAT said in a statement.

Terror groups in Gaza threatened to escalate their attacks in response. On Monday some 10 fires were sparked in the south by incendiary aerial devices.

On Sunday night, two rockets were fired from Gaza toward the city of Ashkelon and surrounding communities. One was intercepted while the other landed in an open area. One woman was hurt while running for shelter. In response IDF tanks struck Hamas positions in the Gaza Strip.

Earlier on Sunday, two mortar shells fired from the blockaded coastal enclave failed to clear the border and landed within the Gaza Strip. Hours later another mortar struck an open field near the border fence.

Throughout the day on Sunday some 39 fires were sparked due to the incendiary balloons.

The rocket fire and incendiary balloons come amid heightened tensions and violence in Jerusalem and the West Bank between Palestinians and Israel Police.

In a message posted on COGAT’s Facebook page, Alian said that “Israel will not stand for any disruption of the safety, the law and order, and the stability of security. It is not violence and terrorism that should be dominating the agenda, but the economic and social welfare of the residents”

Alian reiterated remarks made earlier that Israel “is committed” to allow freedom of worship in Jerusalem but would not allow violence and the violation of law and order. There is a difference between freedom of worship and “unbridled” violence and terrorism, he said.

“Some of the participants believe sincerely that they are protecting the holy sites. But in fact, they are defiling them during the blessed month of Ramadan and on Qadr Night (Laylat al-Qadr). The participants are being cynically incited and exploited by those who are trying to escalate and inflame the situation, using violent and inciteful rhetoric on social and mainstream media,” he said. 

“I must remind you that while the coronavirus is not yet behind us and its economic ramifications are still felt in almost every Palestinian home, there are those who are already sabotaging attempts at returning to normal life. Let it be clear that there will be difficulty in advancing any civilian measures taken to ease restrictions, as long as the violence persists. It is not violence and terrorism that should be dominating the agenda, but the economic and social welfare of the residents,” he continued, adding “let us give the holiday its proper respect. Let us keep the peace and celebrate, rather than battle. Let us pray and sanctify these special days rather than allowing inciters to dominate us and wreak violence.”