"Israel is acting against the violence on the Temple Mount," Netanyahu told UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a phone call, after the latter expressed concerns over the recent violence raging around the east Jerusalem site, holy to both Jews and Muslims.
"Israel is strictly maintaining the status quo, Palestinian incitement to the contrary notwithstanding," Netanyahu said.
Israel conquered East Jerusalem and the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast War, and annexed east Jerusalem villages, home to 300,000, to its municipality in 1981. The international community does not recognize the legality of the move.
Israel and Jordan share "status quo" understandings, incorporated in the 1994 peace treaty between the countries, according to which Jews can visit but not pray at the site, home to the Al Aqsa mosque.
The Palestinians and Muslim countries charge Israel is planning to take over the site, amid visits of Israeli ministers in the sensitive site and massive presence of Israeli security services there, as well as provocation by Jewish right-wing activists.
Tensions surrounding the site intensified in the past year and reached a climax in the past week, with daily clashes resulting in the light injury of dozens of Israeli police officers and Palestinian protesters, and the arrests of more than 30 Palestinians.
Clashes decreased towards the end of the week, yet sporadic attacks of firebombs, stone throwing, and small-scale clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinian protesters continue to take place in the city.
Israel's police boosted its presence in Jerusalem in the past week, deploying hundreds of additional police officers, and remains on high alert ahead of the Friday Muslim prayers at the site and the Jewish holy fasting day of Yom Kippur next week.
The Israeli government announced in recent days a "crackdown" on Palestinian stone-hurling youths. This comes after on Sunday, a 64 year-old Israeli died after losing control of his vehicle which was pelted with rocks, near the east Jerusalem Palestinian village of Zur Baher.
In the meantime, Muslim countries including Jordan and Saudi Arabia urged the international community to interfere and prevent Israel from changing the status quo at the Al Aqsa mosque.
Xinhua - globaltimes.cn
18/9/15
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