The head of the Arab League warned Thursday that Israeli attempts to control highly sensitive religious sites in Jerusalem by force risk igniting a “religious war”. Israel’s actions are “playing with fire, and will only ignite a religious war and shift the core of the conflict from politics to religion,” Arab League chief Ahmed Abul … Read more
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday called for the execution of a Palestinian who stabbed to death three Israelis last week as tensions rose over new security measures at a Jerusalem holy site. “The death penalty for terrorists — it’s time to implement it in severe cases,” he said while speaking with family members of … Read more
Violent clashes have erupted between Israeli police and Palestinians at a sensitive Jerusalem holy site as thousands of Muslim worshippers entered to end a boycott of the compound over new Israeli security measures. An AFP correspondent witnessed the clashes erupt shortly after the worshippers entered. The Palestinian Red Crescent reports that 46 people were wounded … Read more
Palestinians ended a boycott and entered a sensitive Jerusalem holy site for the first time in two weeks Thursday after Israel removed controversial security measures there, potentially ending a crisis that sparked deadly unrest. AFP journalists saw thousands of worshippers streaming into the Haram al-Sharif compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, for afternoon … Read more
Israeli police said on Thursday all new security measures installed at a sensitive Jerusalem holy site after a July 14 attack and which sparked deadly unrest have been removed. “The police returned the security measures to how they were before the terrorist attack at the Haram al-Sharif, before July 14,” police spokeswoman Luba Samri told … Read more
They come every day, spreading out prayer mats in a Jerusalem street under the watchful eyes of Israeli police and refusing to enter one of the world’s most sensitive holy sites. Nearly two weeks into a standoff over Israeli security measures at the Haram al-Sharif compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, the days … Read more
The White House welcomed Israel’s decision to remove metal detectors from a highly sensitive Jerusalem holy site on Tuesday after their installation triggered deadly violence, saying the Jewish state was “reducing tensions.” “Israel has removed the recently installed magnetometers and cameras, despite the demonstrated need to enhance security at the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif in the … Read more
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday urged all Muslims to visit and protect Jerusalem after violence broke out over metal detectors that Israel installed and later removed from a sensitive holy site in the city. “From here I make a call to all Muslims. Anyone who has the opportunity should visit Jerusalem, Al-Aqsa mosque,” … Read more
Israel removed metal detectors from a highly sensitive Jerusalem holy site before dawn on Tuesday and said they would no longer be used after their installation triggered deadly violence. The move came in the face of intensive international diplomacy seeking to stop wider Palestinian unrest, with Israel saying it would introduce subtler security measures instead … Read more
Israeli ministers have decided to stop the use of metal detectors at a highly sensitive Jerusalem holy site, a statement said early Tuesday, after the new security measures set off deadly unrest. The security cabinet accepted “the recommendation of all the security bodies to change the inspection with metal detectors to a security inspection based … Read more
Eight people have been killed in a weekend of violence following new Israeli security measures at an ultra-sensitive Jerusalem holy site. Here is a timeline of events related to the crisis: On July 14, three Arab Israelis armed with automatic rifles and a knife exit Jerusalem’s Haram al-Sharif compound, known to Jews as the Temple … Read more
A Palestinian broke into a home in a Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank on Friday and stabbed four Israelis, killing three of them, the Israeli army said. The attack in Neve Tsuf, north of Ramallah, came after a day of clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli forces over new security measures at a … Read more
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said Friday he was freezing contacts with Israel over new security measures at a highly sensitive Jerusalem holy site, after deadly clashes erupted earlier in the day. Abbas said in a speech that the freeze would stay in place until Israel lifted the measures at the Haram al-Sharif mosque compound, which … Read more
Three Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded Friday as clashes erupted between protesters and Israeli forces over new security measures at an ultra-sensitive Jerusalem holy site where police restricted access for Muslim prayers. One Palestinian was shot dead by Israeli gunfire in the A-Tur neighbourhood of east Jerusalem, according to the Palestinian health ministry. A … Read more
Thousands of protesters took to the streets of the Jordanian capital on Friday to condemn Israel’s latest security measures at a highly sensitive holy site in annexed east Jerusalem. A crowd estimated to number more than 8,000 turned out for a demonstration called by Islamist movements and leftist parties in Jordan, which has a 2004 … Read more
A Palestinian died after being shot in the head in an east Jerusalem neighbourhood near the Old City on Friday, the Palestinian health ministry said, as clashes broke out in the area. The ministry however did not specify who was behind the shooting in the Ras al-Amud neighbourhood. Clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinians … Read more
Israeli police barred men under 50 from entering Jerusalem’s Old City for Friday Muslim prayers as tensions rose and protests erupted over new security measures at a highly sensitive holy site. The rare ban came after Israeli ministers decided not to order the removal of metal detectors erected at entrances to the Haram al-Sharif mosque … Read more
Israeli police said they were barring men under 50 from entering Jerusalem’s Old City for Friday Muslim prayers as tensions rose over new security measures at a supersensitive holy site. “Entry to the Old City and Temple Mount will be limited to men aged 50 and over. Women of all ages will be permitted,” a … Read more
Israel’s army boosted security Thursday and braced for possibile unrest on the eve of the main weekly Muslim prayers after security measures imposed at a sensitive Jerusalem site angered Palestinians. Officials were reportedly in talks to defuse the crisis, which followed a deadly attack last Friday on police near the site that includes the Al-Aqsa … Read more
Israel’s army has been boosting its forces ahead of possible unrest over new security measures at a sensitive holy site that have angered Muslims and Palestinian leaders, a military spokeswoman said Thursday. Palestinians have been refusing to enter the Haram al-Sharif compound in annexed east Jerusalem since Sunday, when Israel began installing metal detectors at … Read more