Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 13 augusT 2019
Clashes undermine fragile truce over Jerusalem holy site

By ILAN BEN ZION so that they would conflict
Associated Press with normal visiting hours.
JERUSALEM (AP) — It wasn't Soon thereafter the clashes
inevitable that the overlap erupted, wounding at least
of Jewish and Muslim holi- 14 Palestinians and four Is-
days would lead to clashes raeli police.
at a Jerusalem site deeply ___
revered by both faiths. A 'SHARED SITE'
But when rumors circulated For decades, most rabbis
that Israeli police would al- forbade Jews from visiting
low Jews to visit the hilltop the site altogether, but a
compound during Muslim growing cadre of religious
prayers, it appeared to nationalist rabbis have en-
many Palestinians that Is- dorsed visiting the holy site
rael was further chipping and their adherents have
away at their claims to the flocked there in increasing
site. numbers in recent years.
As demonstrators massed The number of Jewish visi-
at the gates and began tors to the shrine stood
throwing stones at the at around 5,800 in 2010,
police, it became a self- Israeli police clashes with Palestinian worshippers at al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem, but by 2018 had grown to
fulfilling prophecy. After Sunday, Aug 11, 2019. 35,600, according to statis-
an outcry by right-wing Associated Press tics released by Public Se-
Israeli leaders, the police curity Minister Gilad Erdan.
reversed an earlier deci- The holy site, known to Jews estinian violence. But sen- move not recognized inter- He said 1,729 Jews visited
sion to bar the Jewish visi- as the Temple Mount and sitivities are especially high nationally, and views the the site on Sunday, com-
tors and let them in, as stun to Muslims as the Noble at the moment, with the whole city as its capital. pared to 1,440 on the Ninth
grenades echoed and tear Sanctuary, has long been peace process a distant The hilltop shrine is man- of Av in 2018, adding that
gas filled the air. a flashpoint for Israeli-Pal- memory and Israel head- aged by an Islamic trust he would "continue to work
ing to elections next month. under Jordanian steward- to strengthen Israeli sover-
In the current atmosphere, ship, and day-to-day affairs eignty on the Mount."
even the smallest per- are governed by informal Jerusalem District police
ceived changes to the sta- understandings with Israel chief Doron Yedid said it
tus of the site — the emo- known as the "status quo." was the Waqf that violated
tional and symbolic center The Palestinians fear any the status quo by delaying
of the decades-old conflict erosion of the status quo the prayers. Police said the
— can spark violence. could lead to an Israeli site would remain closed
A PERCEIVED THREAT takeover or partition of the to non-Muslim visitors until
The compound is the holi- site. Thursday, following the end
est site to the Jewish peo- According to those rules, of the Muslim holiday.
ple and the third holiest in Jews are allowed to visit the "The message sent to the
Islam, after Mecca and compound during certain Palestinians and to the Mus-
This undated image made from a video provided by the Medina. It was the site of times but are forbidden to lim worshippers is: 'This is a
IRGC/IRIB shows a ship in the Persian Gulf. two Jewish temples in an- pray there. The Islamic trust shared site. Get used to it,'"
Associated Press tiquity and is the home of overseeing the site, known Seidemann said. "And that
Iraq: Gulf Arab states the iconic gold Dome of as the Waqf, said it was is a significant erosion of
the traditional understand-
the Rock and the al-Aqsa unprecedented and unac-
can secure Persian Gulf Mosque. ceptable to allow Jews to ings of the status quo." the
Khateeb,
On Sunday morning, tens visit during a major Muslim Azzam
waters alone of thousands of Muslims holiday. Waqf's director, said Sun-
flocked to the site to mark "It has been customary day's altercation proved
the start of Eid al-Adha, that on Muslim holidays, that "Israeli ambitions in
a Muslim holiday honor- the site would be closed to the mosque are not limited
Associated Press of Hormuz, where Iran's ing the time God stayed non-Muslims in respect for to the extreme right-wing
BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq's recent seizures of vessels Abraham's hand after ask- the special sanctity of the groups, but also to the Is-
foreign minister says Iraq has raised tensions with ing him to sacrifice his son. days," said Daniel Seide- raeli government."
and Gulf Arab states the West. Hundreds of Israeli religious mann, founder of Terrestrial Israeli Prime Minister Benja-
don't need foreign pow- The U.S. wants an interna- nationalists also showed up Jerusalem, a group that min Netanyahu has repeat-
ers to secure navigation tional coalition to moni- in observance of Ninth of tracks developments in the edly said he has no inten-
in the Persian Gulf as that tor and potentially escort Av, when Jews mourn the holy city. tion of changing the status
would only increase re- commercial ships there. destruction of the temples "That basically was violated quo, despite calls from his
gional tensions. Britain said last week it and other historical calami- for the first time when Je- right-wing allies for expand-
Mohammed al-Hakim would join the mission; ties. The site is located in rusalem Day and the final ed access.
tweeted Monday that re- no other U.S. allies have east Jerusalem, which Is- days of Ramadan over- That has left him vulnerable
gional states are capable committed themselves so rael seized along with the lapped (in June), and it on the issue as he seeks to
of securing the strategic far. West Bank and Gaza in happened again yester- secure an unprecedented
waterway themselves. Al-Hakim stressed Israel's the 1967 Mideast war. The day," he said.
fourth consecutive term
Al-Hakim's tweet was in participation in such a Palestinians want those ter- In response, the Waqf said in office in elections next
response to efforts by the mission was unaccept- ritories to form their future it took the "exceptional month, which were called
Trump administration to able. It's not clear if Is- state, with east Jerusalem decision" to delay morn- after he failed to form a co-
set up a U.S.-led naval se- rael has been asked to as their capital. Israel an- ing prayers, typically held alition government follow-
curity mission in the Strait participate.q
nexed east Jerusalem in a at 6:30 a.m., by an hour ing a vote in April.q