Abbas to US: Israel responsible for escalating violence in Jerusalem because of its “invasions of Al-Aqsa Mosque”
This article was published during a period of high tension in Jerusalem that included riots in Palestinian areas and numerous terror attacks against Israelis. On Oct. 22, a Palestinian ran over people waiting at a light-rail station in Jerusalem with his car, killing a three-month-old and a 22-year-old. On Oct. 29, 2014, Islamic Jihad member Mutaz Hijazi attempted to assassinate Rabbi Yehuda Glick, an activist working to assure rights for Jews to visit and pray on the Temple Mount.
“[PA] President Mahmoud Abbas sent an urgent letter to the US administration, in which he demanded that it intervene quickly to stop the Israeli escalation in East Jerusalem, and especially the settlers’ and extremist Jews’ invasions of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque. In his letter, the President warned of the danger posed by the steps Israel is taking to divide the holy places according to time and place. He noted that if [these steps] continue, they will further inflame the situation, which is liable to spin out of control, and held the Israeli government responsible for this grave escalation.”
Note: The physical division and division according to time refers to a proposed law (May 2013) being reviewed in Israeli Parliament that would allow for both Jews and Muslims to pray on the Temple Mount. The law seeks to implement separate prayer times for Muslims and Jews at the site.
“[PA] President Mahmoud Abbas sent an urgent letter to the US administration, in which he demanded that it intervene quickly to stop the Israeli escalation in East Jerusalem, and especially the settlers’ and extremist Jews’ invasions of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque. In his letter, the President warned of the danger posed by the steps Israel is taking to divide the holy places according to time and place. He noted that if [these steps] continue, they will further inflame the situation, which is liable to spin out of control, and held the Israeli government responsible for this grave escalation.”
Note: The physical division and division according to time refers to a proposed law (May 2013) being reviewed in Israeli Parliament that would allow for both Jews and Muslims to pray on the Temple Mount. The law seeks to implement separate prayer times for Muslims and Jews at the site.