Page 8 - Aruba Today
P. 8
A8
WORLD NEWSMonday 26 October 2015
Kerry plan for Jerusalem site leaves many issues unanswered
JOSEF FEDERMAN ings with Israeli, Palestinian Jordanian King Abdullah II, right, meets with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry at the Royal
Associated Press and Jordanian leaders. Palace in Amman Jordan. Kerry said that Israel and Jordan have agreed on steps aimed at
JERUSALEM (AP) — John The highlight was a Jorda- reducing tensions at a holy site in Jerusalem that have fanned Israeli-Palestinian violence.
Kerry’s latest Mideast mis- nian proposal to install sur-
sion has aimed for the mod- veillance cameras at the (AP Photo/Raad Adayleh)
est goal of easing tensions Jerusalem holy site that is
around Jerusalem’s most known to Jews as the Tem- While Israel has repeatedly jamin Netanyahu said he tions really come from and
sensitive holy site — the fo- ple Mount and to Muslims said there are no plans to “made clear” to Kerry that to foil them before they
cal point of more than a as the Noble Sanctuary. change this status quo, Israel is committed to pre- ever happen,” he said.
month of deadly unrest. More than a month of vio- the Palestinian fears have serving the status quo, and Israeli officials said the plan
But the steps announced lence has been fueled by been stoked by growing he welcomed the plan to was for Israeli police and
by the U.S. secretary of Palestinian allegations that numbers of Jewish visitors, install cameras. officials from the Waqf, the
state over the weekend did Israel is trying to change backed by some senior “Israel has an interest in sta- Jordanian-backed religious
little to address the deeper the delicate status quo at Israeli officials, who seek tioning cameras in all parts authority that administers
issues behind the fighting, the site, which allows non- prayer rights and an ex- of the Temple Mount. First, the Muslim sites, to have
disappointing the Palestin- Muslims to visit but not pray. panded presence on the in order to disprove the access to footage.
ians and raising fears that The hilltop compound, mount. claim that Israel is changing Palestinian officials gave
even if calm is restored, it is home to the biblical Jewish Addressing his Cabinet on the status quo. Second, to the camera plan a cool re-
just a matter of time before Temples, is the holiest site in Sunday, Prime Minister Ben- show where the provoca- ception. q
another round of violence Judaism. Today, it is home
erupts. to the Al-Aqsa Mosque
During a swing through the compound, the third-holi-
region, Kerry announced est site in Islam and a po-
the steps on Saturday af- tent Palestinian national
ter several days of meet- symbol.
Syria’s Assad said to favor vote after victory
ALBERT AJI which has killed 250,000 ed Press. “There is no sense
SARAH EL DEEB people and displaced half in talking about elections
Associated Press the country’s population. now before a real transition
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — The Western-backed Syrian of power.”
President Bashar Assad is opposition and other insur- Communist lawmaker Al-
willing to run in an early gent groups have refused exander Yushchenko told
presidential election, hold to back any plan that does the Tass news agency that
parliamentary elections not include Assad’s exit Assad is ready to hold par-
and discuss constitutional from power, and were un- liamentary elections “on
changes, but only after the likely to view any elections the basis of all political
defeat of “terrorist” groups, held by his government as forces that want Syria’s
Russian lawmakers said af- legitimate. The Syrian gov- prosperity.” He said Assad is
ter meeting with the Syrian ernment considers the en- also ready to discuss consti-
leader on Sunday. tire armed opposition to be tutional reform and, if nec-
The meeting came as Rus- “terrorists.” essary, hold presidential
sia, the U.S., Saudi Arabia “This is all political equivo- elections, but only “after
and Turkey were discuss- cation,” Munzer Akbik, a the victory over terrorism.”
ing new ideas for a politi- member of the main op- Assad won re-election by
cal transition to end Syria’s position Syrian National a landslide in a vote held
nearly five-year civil war, Council, told The Associat- more than a year ago.q
