(Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs) The recent series of attacks against Israelis is the direct result of incitement by radical Islamist and terrorist elements, calling on Palestinian youth to murder Jews. The incitement includes the spread of false claims against Israel, in particular regarding the status quo on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The Palestinian Authority, including its chairman Mahmoud Abbas, is using inflammatory Islamic rhetoric to spread false and malicious claims against Israel, and treat those who engage in the murder of Israelis as heroes. These statements amount to official incitement to violence. Radical Islamists are bringing explosive devices, firebombs and other weaponry onto the Temple Mount, thus deliberately desecrating, damaging and endangering the holy site and turning it into a battlefield. The militarization of a site revered by all should be universally condemned. The aim of these elements is to change the status quo and to prevent visits by non-Muslims on the Mount. The status quo protects the right of Muslims to pray on the Temple Mount, as well as the freedom of all people to visit the Mount. Visits to the Temple Mount over the past year included nearly 4,000,000 entries by Muslims, 200,000 entries by Christians, and 12,000 entries by Jews. Israel has never made any attempt to change the status quo, and any claim to the contrary is a lie.
2015-10-09 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive