Israeli police clash with Palestinians at Temple Mount

Violence broke out between Israeli police and thousands of Palestinians who had gathered to pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque early Friday. Police fired rubber bullets and stun grenades, while Palestinians hurled rocks and fireworks. At least 152 Palestinians and three officers were injured. The mosque sits on the Temple Mount, the third holiest site in Islam and the holiest for Jews.

What prompted the violence? The Israeli Foreign Ministry said dozens of masked men carrying Palestinian and Hamas flags marched to the compound early Friday and gathered stones. Earlier this week, a group of Jewish extremists had called for illegal ritual sacrifices to be performed on the Temple Mount, and on Thursday, Hamas and other terror groups in a statement called on Palestinians to “come out in the hundreds of thousands to protect our nation and our mosque.” Tensions had already soared in recent weeks after a string of Palestinian attacks killed 14 people in Israel since March 22. Israel has heightened security as the Islamic observance of the holy month of Ramadan coincides this year with the Jewish Passover holiday and the Christian Holy Week, which hasn't happened since 1991.

Dig deeper: Read Carolina Lumetta’s report in The Sift about one of the recent attacks in Tel Aviv.