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Arabs riot over Palestinian-imposed holiday mosque closures

Clashes erupted as Palestinians took to the streets to protest against COVID-19 lockdown imposed during the Muslim holiday.

By JNS

Hundreds of Palestinian Authority residents gathered outside P.A. headquarters in Hebron on Saturday night to demand the opening of mosques for the Eid al-Fitr holiday, which lasts through Sunday.

“The people want to observe the holiday prayer,” protesters can be heard chanting in a video posted on Twitter by Kan News Palestinian affairs correspondent Nurit Yohanan.

The demonstration came in response to P.A. COVID-19 restrictions, among them the barring of entry to houses of worship during Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the month of Ramadan.

In the video, rioters can be seen burning tires and throwing rocks in the streets of Tubas, near Nablus, and what sound like gunshots can be heard in the background.

The PA eased closures in many cities on Saturday to enable residents to prepare for the holiday, but reimposed a full lockdown for the festival itself, due to concerns of mass gatherings leading to a spike in new coronavirus infections.