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Jerusalem on high alert after Abbas claims “declaration of war”
Israeli security forces are on high alert today in Jerusalem as Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas claimed Israel had issued a “declaration of war” over the Temple Mount and his Fatah faction called for a “day of rage.”
The tension follows the attempted assassination on Wednesday evening of Rabbi Yehuda Glick, a well-known campaigner for greater Jewish prayer rights on the Temple Mount. The assailant, 32-year-old Mu’taz Hijazi, was killed hours later following a shoot-out with Israeli counter-terrorism officers. Hijazi had spent eleven years in an Israeli prison and was an Islamic Jihad member.
Israeli police subsequently temporarily closed the Temple Mount to both Jewish and Muslim worshippers for the first time since 2000, in order to reduce the threat of unrest. Israel Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld explained, “A strategic decision was made to close it in order to prevent any incidents or disturbances from taking place there.”
However, PA President Abbas said via his spokesman that the decision was tantamount to “a declaration of war on the Palestinian people and its sacred places and on the Arab and Islamic nation.” Two weeks ago, Abbas called on Palestinians to “use any means” to prevent Jews from “desecrating the Temple Mount.” Abbas’ Fatah faction yesterday called for a “Day of Rage” today to protest the closure. Last night, rocks were hurled in the French Hill, Pisgat Ze’ev and Armon Hanatziv neighbourhoods.
Yesterday evening, Israeli authorities lifted the closure and said that everyone except men under 50 would be allowed access to the Temple Mount for Friday prayers. Jews are only permitted to visit the site in small numbers and are banned from praying at the Temple Mount for fear it would provoke a violent response.
The last several months have seen regular clashes taking place in Arab neighbourhoods of Jerusalem between local youths and Israeli forces. Last week, two people including a three-month-old baby were killed when a local Palestinian driver rammed his car into a crowd of commuters.