Palestinians yesterday torched a site revered by Jews in the West Bank in an incident that threatened to further inflame over two weeks of deadly unrest, as fresh protests were planned.
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, under pressure over comments that some have labeled incitement, quickly condemned the fire at the site in the northern city of Nablus known as Joseph’s Tomb.
Video showed what looked like an extensive blaze and the Israeli army called it “a despicable act” of desecration.
Photo: AFP
The incident came as Palestinians called for a “Friday [yesterday] of revolution” against Israel, and Jerusalem police barred men under 40 from attending the main weekly prayers at the flashpoint al-Aqsa mosque, seeking to keep young protesters away.
Israeli security forces have deployed massively in Jerusalem after two weeks of Palestinian attacks in the city and across Israel. From tomorrow, about 300 soldiers are to reinforce police stretched thin by the unrest.
The UN Security Council was to hold an emergency meeting at Jordan’s request to discuss the upsurge of violence.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday reiterated his willingness to meet Abbas, while accusing him of inciting and encouraging violence.
“It’s time that President Abbas stops not only justifying it, but also calling for it,” Netanyahu said.
Separately, Israel bristled at US suggestions it might have used excessive force to confront Palestinian stabbings, and also published hospital images it said refuted Abbas’ allegation a teen suspect had been “executed.”
Netanyahu said Israel was using legitimate force and any other country would do the same to deal with “people wielding knives, meat cleavers, axes, trying to kill people on their streets.”
Israeli Minister of Defence Moshe Yaalon accused Washington of “misreading” the conflict, saying shooting knife-wielding Palestinians was self-defense.
Israeli Minister of Public Security Gilad Erdan called the US remarks “foolish.”
Thirty-two Palestinians and seven Israelis have been killed in the past two weeks of violence and bloodshed.
The Palestinian dead include 10 knife-wielding assailants, police said.
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