Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C) addresses the opening of the winter session of the Knesset (Israeli parliament) in Jerusalem, on Oct. 12, 2015. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday blamed Israeli-Arab parties for "undermining" the country and "inciting" recent surge of attacks against Israelis. (Xinhua/JINI)
JERUSALEM, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday blamed Israeli-Arab parties for "undermining" the country and "inciting" recent surge of attacks against Israelis.
Netanyahu said certain Arab lawmakers expressed support to violence against Israelis. He called on Arab citizens of Israel to "repel the extremists among you."
About 1.6 million Arabs living in Israel have full Israeli citizenship, but often complain about discrimination and racism.
Netanyahu warned his supporters that Arabs are voting in large number on March's elections day, and he is committed to "coexistence."
He noted that claims accusing Israel in planning to take over East Jerusalem's flashpoint al-Aqsa mosque compound are "absolute lies," saying that the unrest around the holy site "comes from the desire to annihilate us."
Netanyahu also called on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to "firmly denounce" the stabbing attacks. He blamed Abbas for refusing to find a peaceful solution to the conflict.
Earlier Monday, Israel's Ha'aretz newspaper reported that the Mideast Quartet has cancelled its visit to Jerusalem and Ramallah this week due to Netanyahu's objection to the timing of the visit.
The delegation, representing the United States, Russia, the European Union, and the United Nations, was meant to discuss solution to recent violence as well as trust-building measures between Israel and the Palestinians.
Tensions between Palestinians and Israelis, including security forces and Jewish settlers, have been running high since the Jewish holidays last month, amid strife between worshippers on the hilltop site of Temple Mount as Jews call it, or Noble Sanctuary referred by Muslims, in east Jerusalem.
