Israel Police are in the news for clashes over Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa, settler violence, and raids amid rising tensions in the West Bank.
A riot erupted in Bnei Brak after a visit by female IDF soldiers to a Haredi community, leading to arrests, injuries, and protests. The incident highlights tensions over military service and gender roles within ultra-Orthodox society, amid ongoing debates about conscription and religious exemptions.
A Nassau County woman was injured when her brother fired an arrow at her outside their home. The attack was reportedly planned since Christmas, triggered by a dispute over house temperature. The brother was arrested and charged with attempted murder and assault.
Israeli police arrested Raz Cohen, a 26-year-old Iron Dome reservist, on suspicion of passing security secrets to Iran. Cohen maintained contact with Iranian agents over several months, providing details about Israel’s military defenses. The arrest occurs amid ongoing Israel-Iran hostilities and recent missile exchanges that have resulted in civilian casualties.
On April 11, 2026, Ali Majed Hamadneh, 23, has died after Israeli settlers opened fire during a raid on Deir Jarir village in the West Bank. The attack occurred under Israeli military protection amid a surge in settler violence and government approval of 34 new settlements. The incident has intensified criticism of settlement expansion and settler attacks in the occupied territory.
On Palm Sunday 2026, Israeli police prevented Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Father Francesco Ielpo from entering Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre, citing security concerns due to ongoing conflict with Iran. This marked the first such restriction in centuries, sparking international criticism and diplomatic protests over religious freedom during Holy Week.
Since early April 2026, Jerusalem's Old City holy sites, including Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, have reopened after a six-week closure due to the US-Israeli war on Iran. Far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has repeatedly entered Al-Aqsa, performing Jewish prayers forbidden under the Status Quo, sparking Palestinian and Jordanian condemnation. Restrictions on Muslim worshippers and settler incursions continue, raising fears of escalating tensions and changes to the site's religious status.
Palestinians report Israeli restrictions and provocations at Jerusalem's holy sites, including attempts by Jewish extremists to perform animal sacrifices at Al-Aqsa. Israeli authorities reopened the sites after weeks of closures due to regional conflict, but tensions persist with reports of incursions and restrictions affecting Muslim, Christian, and Jewish worshippers.
Palestinian and Israeli sources report intensified settler violence across the West Bank, including beatings, arson, and gunfire in Jalud, Deir Dibwan, al-Mughayyir, and Beit Imrin. Israeli forces are dispersing gatherings while arrests remain rare; human rights groups warn of a surge since the Iran war began.