http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1118960.html
Last update - 21:49 05/10/2009
Palestinians urge world: Stop Judaization of Jerusalem
By Reuters
Tags: Jerusalem, Israel news
The Western-backed Palestinian Authority on Monday urged the world to
"force [Israel] to put off its attempts to take over Jerusalem and Judaize it,"
as violence flared in the old city and in eastern Arab neighborhoods.
The Palestinian cabinet, issuing a strong statement after a meeting in
the West Bank town of Ramallah, condemned what it called a plan by Jews to
"perform religious rituals" in the Temple Mount compound which contains the
al-Aqsa mosque, Islam's third holiest site.
It also pledged "to confront Israel," as Israeli security forces clashed
with Arab protesters for a second day in the Jerusalem area.
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Palestinian youths hurled rocks at Israel policemen and burned cardboard
cartons and trash in the streets of Shoafat in Arab East Jerusalem, after
Israel arrested a teenager it suspects stabbed and wounded a soldier conducting
a security check on a bus.
The violence spread to the outskirts of Ramallah, where about 50
Palestinian teenagers took cover behind trucks and cars while hurling rocks at
Israeli soldiers, who reporters saw responding by firing tear gas and rubber
bullets.
One policeman was wounded by a rock and seven protesters were arrested.
Nine Palestinians and two Israeli policemen were treated for minor injuries in
scuffles that erupted in Jerusalem on Sunday, and 30 were hurt in similar
clashes a week ago.
Palestinians have warned that the tensions flaring over access to the
holy compound housing the al-Aqsa mosque, an area also revered by Jews as the
site of an ancient temple, could, on the background of stalled peace talks,
ignite a third uprising.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has conditionally agreed to a
Palestinian state alongside Israel, but peace talks have remained stalled for
months despite U.S. efforts to revive them, over Israel's refusal to halt
settlement construction.
Violence in Jerusalem flared on Sunday after Israel briefly shut gates
leading to the compound around al-Aqsa, known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary
and to Jews as the Temple Mount, citing concerns for possible violence as
hundreds of Jews held holiday prayers at the adjacent Western Wall.
The gates were partly reopened once calm was restored after
stone-throwing protests by Palestinians in anger at being kept from reaching
the holy site. There was no violence in the area on Monday when thousands of
Jews worshipped at the Western Wall.
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