Clashes erupt between Palestinians, Israeli police during funeral in Jerusalem

JERUSALEM, May 16 (Xinhua) -- Clashes erupted between Palestinians and Israeli police in East Jerusalem on Monday night as thousands gathered for the funeral of a young Palestinian who died after being injured in clashes with police in April.

Israel's state-owned Kan TV news reported that Israeli police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse Palestinian demonstrators who hurled stones at them, and dozens of people have been injured.

The police said in a statement that five Palestinians were arrested amid "riots during a funeral of a suspect who was shot by the police last month after he hurled rocks and rioted."

No injuries have been reported among the Israeli forces.

Hundreds of mourners attended the funeral of Waleed Shareef, who died on Saturday of wounds. He was injured on April 22 when Israeli police fired rubber bullets at Palestinian demonstrators at Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

The incident came amid heightened tensions over a string of clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in recent weeks.