Palestinians unite to defend Jerusalem shrine as West Bank clashes erupt

Rival Fatah party and Islamic Hamas movement declared unity in Jerusalem to defend al-Aqsa Mosque, as Palestinian demonstrators clashed on Monday with Israeli soldiers north of the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Witnesses and medical sources in Ramallah said that five Palestinians were injured as dozens of Palestinian students organized a procession towards Attara Israeli army barrier north of the city.

The demonstrators threw stones at the soldiers, who fired tear gas and rubber-coated metal bullets in return.

The witnesses said before the clashes erupted, demonstrators burnt tires and chanted slogans against the recent Israeli measures near al-Aqsa Mosque in the old city of Jerusalem and the Israeli government's decision to expand Jewish settlements in the eastern part of the holy city.

Several Palestinian factions, mainly Hamas movement which rules the Gaza Strip, as well as other national factions, called on the Palestinians to go for a third Intifada, or uprising, against the recent Israeli measures in Jerusalem.

Witnesses said the scene of Monday's clashes reminded them of the first Intifada in 1987.

Hamas and other factions said in separate leaflets sent to reporters that as long as the Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists Judaizing Jerusalem, build settlements and carry out tight security measures against the Palestinians, " the only choice remained is to go for a third Intifada."

Israeli Radio, meanwhile, quoted earlier on Monday an Israeli army spokesman as saying that at least one Israeli soldier was hurt by a stone during the clashes north of Ramallah, adding that dozens of Palestinian stone throwers were taken to Ramallah hospital for medical treatment.

Jewish organizations are about to open a synagogue at the flashpoint Noble Sanctuary which contains al-Aqsa Mosque.

The Temple Institute, an Israeli organization aimed at building the third Jewish temple near al-Aqsa Mosque, announced March 16 as the first International Temple Mount Awareness Day.

Palestinian observers expected on Monday that violence in the West Bank and East Jerusalem would escalate within the coming few days as the Jewish organizations are determined to open the synagogue and the Israeli government is determined to continue its settlement plans.

Meanwhile, a senior Palestinian official said on Monday that representatives of different Palestinian factions in East Jerusalem had put their differences aside and united to face extremist Jews, who plan to enter al-Aqsa Mosque's compound in the old city on Tuesday.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party and its rival Islamic Hamas movement "started actual coordination in East Jerusalem to counter the radical Israeli attack in the holy city," said Hatem Abdul-Kader, Fatah party representative in Jerusalem.

Hamas and Fatah have been in near-total boycott since the Islamic movement routed pro-Abbas forces and seized the Gaza Strip by force in June 2007. All the Arab and Palestinian efforts have by far failed to reunite the rival movements and end their internal feuds.

"We have held several meetings with all the factions to discuss what we should do," Abdul-Kader told Xinhua by phone, as the Israeli police was put on alert for possible clashes between Muslims and Jews.

Meanwhile, a senior Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) official earlier on Monday urged Arab states to go to the United Nations Security Council to force Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stop building settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.

"The Arab states are asked to play a more active role," Yasser Abed Rabbo of the executive committee of the PLO told Palestinian Radio Voice of Palestine.

He added that "resorting to the UN Security Council will help to put an end to the Israeli activities that block the peace process."

Last week, Israel announced plans to build 1,600 apartments for Jews in the disputed East Jerusalem a few days after the Arab League (AL) approved a U.S. offer to hold proximity talks between Israel and the Palestinians.

The new settlement plans undermined the chances of starting the proximity indirect talks since the settlements that Israel is building in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which the Palestinians want as the capital of their future state, were the key reason that caused a halt of direct talks for 15 months.

From now on, the Palestinian leadership "wants international guarantees" before restarting peace negotiations, said Abed Rabbo, who accused Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu of being "an extremist adventurer" trying to block the peace process.

Source: People's Daily.
Link: http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90854/6920860.html.