West Bank & Jerusalem
Expert warns of escalation risk as Jewish holidays begin Saturday
Image credit: Shehab Wire (EN)
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Jerusalem affairs expert Ziad Bahish said that Saturday, September 12, marks the start of an extended season of Jewish holidays, which annually transforms into one of the most dangerous periods that the occupation exploits, Shehab Wire reported. The holiday season, which runs for several weeks, has historically coincided with heightened tensions in and around the city's contested holy sites.
Bahish's warning reflects longstanding concerns among Palestinian analysts and officials about the intersection of Jewish religious observances and access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. During major Jewish holidays, visits by Jewish groups to the Jerusalem shrine typically increase, a pattern that has repeatedly sparked confrontations with Palestinian worshippers and security forces in recent years.
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