Israel bids to restore calm in Jerusalem
Source: Agencies |
March 18, 2010, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
ISRAEL yesterday lifted its tight restrictions on Palestinian access to Jerusalem's holiest shrine and called off an extended West Bank closure after days of clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces.
While Israel moved to end the lockdown, it also kept thousands of police officers on alert as an uneasy calm settled over the holy city.
The violence took place against the backdrop of deep Palestinian frustration over a yearlong standstill in peace talks and dovetailed with the worst United States-Israeli diplomatic feud in decades.
On Tuesday, the US and Israel signaled they were trying to move beyond the crisis that erupted when Israel announced plans to build 1,600 apartments in east Jerusalem during Vice President Joe Biden's visit last week.
Israel, citing intelligence reports, canceled the restrictions on Palestinian access to the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, Islam's third-holiest shrine, a day after the heaviest violence in months broke out across the city.
Hundreds of Palestinians set tires and garbage bins ablaze and lobbed rocks at Israeli riot police, who responded with rubber bullets, tear gas and stun grenades. The unrest was set off by persistent rumors that Jewish extremists were planning to take over the compound.
The hilltop compound is also home to Judaism's holiest site, the Temple Mount. The conflicting claims to the complex make the future of the holy city the most charged issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Israel captured east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war and immediately annexed the area. The Palestinians claim east Jerusalem as their capital.
While Israel moved to end the lockdown, it also kept thousands of police officers on alert as an uneasy calm settled over the holy city.
The violence took place against the backdrop of deep Palestinian frustration over a yearlong standstill in peace talks and dovetailed with the worst United States-Israeli diplomatic feud in decades.
On Tuesday, the US and Israel signaled they were trying to move beyond the crisis that erupted when Israel announced plans to build 1,600 apartments in east Jerusalem during Vice President Joe Biden's visit last week.
Israel, citing intelligence reports, canceled the restrictions on Palestinian access to the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, Islam's third-holiest shrine, a day after the heaviest violence in months broke out across the city.
Hundreds of Palestinians set tires and garbage bins ablaze and lobbed rocks at Israeli riot police, who responded with rubber bullets, tear gas and stun grenades. The unrest was set off by persistent rumors that Jewish extremists were planning to take over the compound.
The hilltop compound is also home to Judaism's holiest site, the Temple Mount. The conflicting claims to the complex make the future of the holy city the most charged issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Israel captured east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war and immediately annexed the area. The Palestinians claim east Jerusalem as their capital.
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