JERUSALEM, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Israeli and Palestinian leaders continue to verbally spar as tensions escalate in East Jerusalem, which has witnessed increased clashes between the neighborhood's Palestinian residents and Israeli security forces in the last few months.
On Monday, Palestinian National Authority Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah said that East Jerusalem is the "eternal capital" of the Palestinian state.
Hamdallah made the comments during a visit to the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem's Old City, with the company of Palestinian National Authority General Intelligence Service chief Majed Faraj and Preventive Security commander Ziad Hab al-Reeh, Israeli media reported.
Hamdallah, who coordinated the visit with the Israeli authorities, accused Israel of trying to "Judaize" the city, according to the reports.
He was quoted as saying that as far as the Palestinian National Authority is concerned, "Jerusalem is a red line, and so is the Aqsa Mosque."
"We came here to say that Jerusalem is the capital of the Palestinian state and an important part of the national program," Hamdallah said. "Occupation is illegal and illegitimate. All Israeli measures and the settlements are illegal."
These comments come a week after the European Union demarcated "red lines" for Israel regarding its settlement policy in the West Bank, warning Israel not to make moves that would jeopardize the creation of a Palestinian state.
The compound where the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock are located is called Temple Mount by Jews. The Jewish holy site of the Western Wall, believed to be part of the ancient Jewish temple, is situated at the foot of the mountain.
Israel captured the religious compound from Jordan in the 1967 Mideast War. The Muslim trust, the Waqf, runs the place and Israeli security forces monitor it trying to enforce a balanced status quo. It is a constant source of strife between worshippers of both religions and Jews are not allowed to pray at Temple Mount.
Palestinian protesters often clash with police in response to Jewish visitors to the compound and Palestinian and Arab leaders worldwide have repeatedly stated Israel is trying to "Judaize" the al-Aqsa compound. Israeli right-wing politicians have pushed for legislation allowing Jews to pray at the compound. Earlier Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu accused Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of partnering with radical Islamic elements in an anti-Israel incitement campaign centered on "false rumors" that Israel is seeking to change the status quo on the Temple Mount.
Tensions have been mounting in Jerusalem between Jews and Arabs since June. Following the kidnap and murder of three Israeli teens by Palestinian militants near Hebron in June, Jewish extremists murdered a 15-year-old Palestinian from East Jerusalem.
The past few months have seen constant clashes between East Jerusalem residents and Israeli security forces. There have been also frequent reports of Jewish extremists attacking random Arab bystanders.
Tension further escalated over recent Israeli announcements of construction of new houses in East Jerusalem and settlers moving into mainly Palestinian neighborhoods in the area. More than 300, 000 Palestinians live in East Jerusalem.
Last Wednesday a woman and an infant were killed and six others were injured when an Arab Israeli from East Jerusalem rammed his car into a group of people at a light railway station in Jerusalem. The assailant was killed by the police when he tried to flee the scene on foot.
RAMALLAH, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- A senior Palestinian official condemned on Monday the Israeli government's intention to build around 2,000 housing units into the biggest settlements in the West Bank.
Saeb Erekat, the chief of negotiations department in Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) told Xinhua that the Israeli declaration was made "to show that the Israeli government is an internationally outlawed government." Full story
JERUSALEM, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided to advance plans for 1,060 housing units in Jewish neighborhoods in east Jerusalem, a source in the Prime Minister's Office confirmed to Xinhua on Monday.
The plans include 660 housing units in Ramat Shlomo and 400 in Har Homa, Jewish neighborhoods located beyond the Green Line, on lands Israel annexed amid the 1967 Mideast War, in northeast Jerusalem. Full story
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