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Israel Won't Permit Jerusalem Violence, Netanyahu Warns

VOA News

   Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sundaythatauthorities "will not
   allow any extremists to destabilize the calm," after several days of
   clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israel police outside the
   Old City of Jerusalem.

   The Israeli leader told a Cabinet meeting that he had met with security
   officials and vowed to "enforce law and order decisively and
   responsibly."

   He said Israel "will continue to maintain freedom of worship for all
   faiths, but we will not allow violent disturbances."

   Dozens of Palestinians were wounded in violent confrontations with
   police in Jerusalem from Saturday night into Sunday, when Muslims
   markedLaylatal-Qadr, or the "night of destiny," the holiest period of
   the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

   The skirmishes occurred at the gates of theal-Aqsa Mosque compound in
   the Old City, a site known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims
   as the Noble Sanctuary, which is considered the holiest site in Judaism
   and the third holiest in Islam.

   Jordan,in response to the violence, said Israel should respect
   worshippers and international law safeguarding Arab rights.Jordan's
   King Abdullah said Israeli actions in the holy city were an escalation
   and called onIsraelto end its "dangerous provocations."

   On Sunday,policeapproved the annual Jerusalem Day parade, a flag-waving
   displayto take place Mondayto mark Israeli claims to all of Jerusalem.
   The parade will pass through Jerusalem's Old City, part of east
   Jerusalem, which was captured and annexed by Israel in the 1967 Mideast
   war.

   The annual event, viewed by some as provocative, is occurring at a
   particularly volatile time.

   Ahearing in acourt case over the planned evictions of several
   Palestinian families fromaneighborhood in East Jerusalemhas been
   delayed as Palestinian families sought the legal opinion from Israel's
   attorney general.

   A lower court had found in favor of the claim by Jewish settlerstoland
   where the Palestinian homes are located.The Israeli Supreme Court had
   been expected to hear appeals on Monday but agreed to hear from the
   attorney general, who may argue against the evictions, Reuters
   reported.A spokesman for the attorney general said a new hearingwill be
   scheduled within 30 days.

   Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said last week he "held (Israel)
   responsible for the dangerous developments and sinful attacks taking
   place in the holy city" and called on the United Nations Security
   Council to hold an urgent session on the issue.

   Thepresident of theSecurity Councilhasscheduled aprivate
   discussionforMondayon therising tensions in east Jerusalem around
   al-Aqsa.The United Nations has called on Israel tohalt the evictions of
   Palestinians in east Jerusalem.

   In a tweet, the Israeli Foreign Affairs Ministryaccused the
   Palestinians of using the threatened evictions to incite violence.

   Separately, theIslamic militant groupHamashaswarned of retribution if
   the evictions go forward.

   U.S.national security adviser Jake Sullivan
   spokeSundaytohisIsraelicounterpart,Meir Ben-Shabbat,"to express the
   United States' serious concerns about the situation in Jerusalem"as
   well asconcernsabout the potential evictions of Palestinian
   families.Sullivan said the U.S. is committed to Israel's security and
   to peace and stability in the Middle East, according to aWhite House
   statement.

   Israel considers all of Jerusalem as its unified capital. The
   Palestinianswant east Jerusalem to be the capital of a future state.

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