It also underlined “the necessity of preserving the historical identity of the occupied city of Jerusalem.” Israeli police and Palestinian men gather in a plaza outside of Jerusalem’s Old City, Sunday, April 25, 2021. Israeli police late Sunday removed barricades outside Jerusalem’s Old City that had prevented Muslims from meeting in a traditional gathering spot during the holy month of Ramadan. The barricades have sparked nightly clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police, and their removal appeared to be aimed at easing the tensions. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit) The UAE statement did not mention the escalation in violence from Hamas, which has been firing rockets into Israel for the past three days from Gaza, also in response to the Jerusalem clashes.