Palestinian wounded in clashes with Israeli soldiers

By Mahmut Geldi

JERUSALEM (AA) - A Palestinian was heavily wounded on Monday in clashes with Israeli soldiers, Palestine's Red Crescent said in a statement.

A young man was wounded as Israeli soldiers opened fire during clashes in the town of Hizma east of Jerusalem, according to the statement.

The man was taken to a nearby hospital and is in critical condition, the statement added.

Anger has spilled across the West Bank since last week when Israel shut East Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque, venerated by Muslims and Jews -- who call the site Temple Mount -- following a deadly shootout.

The mosque was reopened after two days, with Israel installing metal detectors and cameras at its gates.

Three Palestinians were killed on Friday in protests against the Israeli measures around the holy site. Three Israelis were also killed in an attack in a settlement in the West Bank.

Israel refused to remove the detectors, claiming the security measures were similar to procedures taken at other holy sites around the world.

The city of Jerusalem is sacred to members of all three Abrahamic faiths -- Muslims, Jews and Christians -- and the Al-Aqsa Mosque represents the Islamic world's third-holiest site.