Palestinians set off new cycle of violence
Source: Agencies |
March 20, 2010, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
PALESTINIANS in east Jerusalem and the West Bank lobbed rocks at Israeli security forces, set garbage bins and tires ablaze and torched an Israeli flag in a new outbreak of violence over contested Jerusalem building plans and unsubstantiated rumors about threats to the city's holiest shrine.
Israeli forces responded with tear gas and stun grenades, but no serious injuries were reported.
More than a week of violence in east Jerusalem has coincided with the worst United States-Israeli diplomatic row in decades, which erupted after Israel announced new plans to build 1,600 apartments in east Jerusalem during Vice President Joe Biden's visit.
The plans, which challenge Palestinian claims to the traditionally Arab eastern sector of the city, also drew condemnation from the UN and European Union.
Yesterday's clashes were most serious in the West Bank town of Hebron, where about 60 protesters confronted Israeli soldiers. Hebron has been in ferment since last month, when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu designated a disputed shrine there a national heritage site.
There were also sporadic, low-level clashes at a small number of other points in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.
In Moscow yesterday, the Quartet of Middle East peacemakers -- the US, UN, EU and Russia -- reiterated their condemnation of the planned east Jerusalem construction but decided not to escalate their criticism of Israel.
In other fallout, the pan-Arab Al-Hayyat newspaper reported that Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman met with an adviser to Netanyahu, Uzi Arad, to warn that Israel's conduct was liable to ignite another regional conflagration. Israel confirmed that Arad was in Cairo but did not provide further details.
Israeli forces responded with tear gas and stun grenades, but no serious injuries were reported.
More than a week of violence in east Jerusalem has coincided with the worst United States-Israeli diplomatic row in decades, which erupted after Israel announced new plans to build 1,600 apartments in east Jerusalem during Vice President Joe Biden's visit.
The plans, which challenge Palestinian claims to the traditionally Arab eastern sector of the city, also drew condemnation from the UN and European Union.
Yesterday's clashes were most serious in the West Bank town of Hebron, where about 60 protesters confronted Israeli soldiers. Hebron has been in ferment since last month, when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu designated a disputed shrine there a national heritage site.
There were also sporadic, low-level clashes at a small number of other points in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.
In Moscow yesterday, the Quartet of Middle East peacemakers -- the US, UN, EU and Russia -- reiterated their condemnation of the planned east Jerusalem construction but decided not to escalate their criticism of Israel.
In other fallout, the pan-Arab Al-Hayyat newspaper reported that Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman met with an adviser to Netanyahu, Uzi Arad, to warn that Israel's conduct was liable to ignite another regional conflagration. Israel confirmed that Arad was in Cairo but did not provide further details.
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