10 octobre 2009
Haaretz/Goldstone, Temple Mount clashes put Abbas in lose-lose situation
Two weeks of continuous incitement by the Islamic Movement's northern branch, members of the Palestinian Authority and Palestinian clerics has generated a particularly volatile mixture. The escalation in Jerusalem surrounding the Temple Mount and its Al-Aqsa Mosque has led the world's most important Sunni cleric, Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, to declare today "Al-Aqsa Day." In addition, there are no diplomatic negotiations under way with Israel. And unprecedented protests in the West Bank against the PA and its head, Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen), arising from his decision to defer action on the Goldstone report on Gaza and not press the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva to send it on to the Security Council for discussion. The nearly absurd sequence of events that began on Yom Kippur Eve may have taught Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that a few new shopping malls, a movie theater and some restaurants in Palestinian towns are no substitute for a real diplomatic process - certainly not when there are so many players interested in a conflagration. On Monday morning, Sheikh Ra'ad Salah, head of the Islamic Movement's northern branch, who has helped to fan the flames, sat on a straw mat on the roof of a house in the Wadi Joz neighborhood of East Jerusalem. Scattered about were mattresses, a few chairs and bottles of mineral water; above him was a green tarp, for shade. A number of his people gathered around, trying not to disturb him. A few minutes earlier, about 100 of his supporters had left the rooftop and set off for one of the police barricades set up to prevent them from reaching the Temple Mount. Someone pointed out the sheikh's photo on the front page of the mass-circulation daily Yedioth Ahronoth. He conducted a long conversation with a resident of East Jerusalem about a local bakery that makes bread and soft sesame rolls, talking on a mobile phone and making notes on a small piece of paper. At one point, seeing that writing was difficult without a surface to lean on, he pulled out his blue Israeli identity card. Apparently Ra'ad, who this week declared that "if Zionism isn't eliminated, there will not be peace," apparently finds some advantage in holding the citizenship of a country he sees as an enemy. Salah called this week on all Muslims to come to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and barricade themselves in it until "the danger to the place" passes. "As long as there is an Israeli occupation of Al-Aqsa, it is in danger," he explained in an interview to an Arab television channel. Ra'ad Salah does not give interviews to Jewish Israeli reporters (even though his friends in Hamas do agree to interviews); Arabs are welcome. His deputy, Sheikh Kamal Khatib, who is prepared to talk to "the Jews" in Hebrew, explained on Wednesday morning in a interview with Army Radio that he finds it unacceptable that "an Ethiopian policeman, a Negro, would ask a Muslim for his identity card," at the entrance to the Temple Mount compound. The northern branch spokesman, Zahi Nujeidat, explained to Haaretz that "it is better for the Jews to save themselves time and look for what they call 'the Temple Mount' somewhere else." In a brief historical review, Nujeidat tried to make it clear why Al-Aqsa is so sacred to the Muslims, and how claims that the Temple Mount is sacred to the Jews simply are not relevant. "It's impossible to argue about this or to claim anything else. I am sticking to the history I believe in," he said. In the meantime, Salah's 100 supporters arrived at the police barricade. For half an hour they stood near the policemen and chanted "Allahu Akhbar" and "There is no God but Allah." A few kilometers away, at the Western Wall plaza, thousands of Jews joined in Sukkot's traditional Priestly Blessing. At a certain stage, a police officer announced to the demonstrators that this was an illegal gathering and they had to leave. Police from the counter-terror unit donned their helmets while mounted police edged their horses ahead and advanced toward the crowd. The demonstrators turned around and headed down the street. Along the way they passed the house where their leader, Sheikh Ra'ad, sat on the rooftop in the shade. A few meters further on in this strange procession, a brief skirmish between the police and the demonstrators ensued, but ended within a few seconds. The police forces left the scene quietly as the northern branch people continued to chant. Some of them began to shout: "Khaybar Khaybar ya Yahud, jish Muhammad saya'oud" ("Khaybar, Khaybar, oh Jews, Mohammed's army will return"), but were immediately silenced. For the uninitiated, that is one of the most famous anti-Jewish racist chants in the Islam world. Khaybar was an oasis north of the city of Medina to which many Jews fled after rejecting attempts to convert them to Islam, and were accused of trying to help the prophet Mohammed's rivals in Mecca. At the Battle of Khaybar in 629 C.E. Mohammed and his army killed about 100 local Jews; the survivors surrendered and agreed to pay him taxes. The northern branch blames the current tension in Jerusalem on posters hung before Yom Kippur by members of the extremist Temple Mount Faithful group, which called upon Jews to come to worship on Sunday, the eve of the holiday, in the Temple Mount compound. For a moment, one almost suspects that the two organizations are cooperating: Every holiday season, that marginal Jewish group tries to create a provocation - and the Islamic Movement responds immediately. On September 25, two days before Yom Kippur, the former mufti of Jerusalem, Sheikh Ikrima Sabri, who delivers the Friday sermon at Al-Aqsa, called upon all Muslims to come and defend the place. To warm up the atmosphere, he was joined by people from the Freedom Party - Hisb al-Tahrir, an extremist group whose members stay on an almost permanent basis inside the mosque compound - and by the person who holds the Jerusalem portfolio in Fatah, Hatem Abd al-Kader. By 5 A.M. on September 27, about 200 enraged Palestinians who had come to "defend" the mosque with their bodies were waiting for "the Jewish fanatics." As it has every day since 2003, the Mughrabi Gate opened at 7:30 A.M. for non-Muslim visitors. On the other side, however, neither the Temple Mount Faithful nor any other Jewish group, fanatical or otherwise, was waiting. There were just a few tourists from France. The "Al-Aqsa Faithful" were not sticklers for detail; they did not take the trouble to ascertain who the visitors were and immediately started throwing stones at them and at the police. (20,38)
Israeli Nobel Laureate calls for release of all Hamas prisoners
Israeli Nobel Prize for chemistry laureate Professor Ada Yonath on Saturday said all Hamas prisoners held in Israel should be released in order to bring Gilad Shalit home. "I don't understand why we incarcerate them in Israel in the first place," the professor told Army Radio Saturday. She added that "all prisoners should be returned to Palestine regardless of a deal for Gilad Shalit's release." Yonath was interviewed on the weekly Saturday radio show about her thoughts in general regarding the Middle East conflict and called for a "change in the status quo." She said that holding Palestinians captive encourages and perpetuates their motivation to harm Israel and its citizens. "If we hold Palestinian prisoners captive for years on end, their familys' resentment for Israel will grow and we are actively creating terrorists," the Nobel Laureate suggested. She also said that if we cease from incarcerating Palestinians it will end soldier abductions. "Once we don't have any prisoners to release they will have no reason to kidnap soldiers." Yonath described many Palestinian lives as having "no hope for the future," and said that "in a state of such despair they have every reason to jump at the opportunity to better their prospects for a better afterlife." (20.36)
Iran looms over Clinton trip to Europe, Russia
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton departed for Europe late Friday on a five day trip in which Iran, Afghanistan and arms control are expected to be subjects of discussion. The trip will take her to Switzerland, Britain, Ireland and Russia. During her visit to Moscow, Clinton plans to press for a strong commitment from Russia for tough new sanctions against Iran. U.S. officials said Iran will be at or near the top of Clinton's agenda when she meets Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday. Russia and China have long balked at imposing new sanctions on Iran if it fails to come clean about its suspect nuclear program, but Medvedev hinted the Russian position might be shifting after Tehran disclosed a previously secret uranium enrichment site near the holy city of Qom. But U.S. officials believe it will be a hard sell to convince the Russians on fresh penalties since Iran agreed to allow UN inspectors to visit the Qom site and has agreed, in principle, to send most of its low-enriched uranium to Russia for reprocessing. Iran agreed to allow inspections of the Qom site following talks last week between Iran's chief nuclear negotiator and diplomats from the U.S., Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany. The Iranians were given time to decide whether to accept a package of incentives in exchange for Iran's compliance with international demands to suspend its uranium enrichment or face new sanctions. The Obama administration is anxious not to let up on the pressure and Clinton will be looking for Russian expressions of support for sanctions and other penalties should Iran continue to refuse by the end of the year, the officials said. "Iran has not bought an indefinite delay and we want them to know that," said one official, who like the others spoke on condition of anonymity to preview Clinton's talks. In remarks broadcast Friday, Medvedev said Russia does not want to see any more nations develop nuclear weapons, signaling that Moscow shares U.S. concerns about Iran. But he said nothing about potential sanctions. "The expansion of the 'nuclear club' is very much not in our interests," Medvedev said in a televised excerpt from an interview taped Wednesday. In addition to Iran, Clinton will bring a wide array of other issues to Moscow, including arms control, missile defense and cooperation on convincing North Korea to abandon nuclear weapons, the officials said . (09,23)
09 octobre 2009
Malki calls for Ban's 'immediate intervention to prevent Israel from escalating situation in Jerusalem
Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Malki called on UN chief Ban Ki-moon Thursday to intervene to prevent further escalation in Jerusalem. Malki told reporters he briefed Ban at the United Nations on "Israeli escalation measures against the Palestinians in Jerusalem and the actions the Israelis have been taking in recent days against al-Aqsa mosque." He said he asked for Ban's "immediate intervention to prevent Israel from escalating the situation in Jerusalem." The Fatah Central Council has called for a general strike in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip on Friday in protest of Israel's "measures against al-Aksa Mosque." Also Thursday, the High Court of Justice rejected a petition filed by the Temple Mount Human Rights group, headed by Yehuda Glick, who demanded that Jews receive access to the holy site on Friday and Saturday. The judge said police were responsible for making the decision and that the court could not become involved. Jerusalem Police plans to limit the entrance of Muslim worshippers to Temple Mount during Friday prayer services to males over the age of 50 who carry an Israeli ID. The access of female worshippers will not be limited. In addition, police will deploy massive forces in the Old City and villages in the eastern part of the capital in an attempt to keep the peace and prevent riots. "For the past five or six days Arab-Israeli leaders of all the factions, as well as religious leaders in Israel and abroad have been calling on their supporters to arrive at the Temple Mount and fight for al-Aqsa," said Israel Police Operations Branch Chief, Cmdr. Bentzi Sao. "In the past such calls have led to severe incidents, and we are prepared to prevent any escalation," he said. Internal Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch held a special briefing Thursday with Police Commissioner Dudi Cohen, Foreign Ministry officials, and the State Prosecutors Office ahead of deployment for Friday prayers in Jerusalem. The minister appealed to worshippers, Jewish and Muslim alike, to maintain restraint during the prayers on Friday. Meanwhile, Muslim leaders once again urged worshippers to arrive at the Temple Mount Friday. Sheikh Yousef al-Qaradawi, the spiritual leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, called on Muslims and Arabs worldwide to protest against Israel's conduct in the Old City. Hamas and Fatah joined the call to rally against "Israeli aggression" in Jerusalem. The head of the Palestinian Sharia court, Sheikh Taysir al-Tamimi urge Arab countries to take concrete measures in the face of Israel's plan to "Judaize the city." Israeli police detained the leader of the Islamic Movement's northern branch on Tuesday on charges of incitement during recent days of tension in Jerusalem, raising fears of further violence. Sheikh Raed Salah was arrested during clashes between Palestinians and police in the neighborhood of Wadi Joz in east Jerusalem on the third day of sporadic violence in and around the Holy City. Advertisement Tensions have run high since Sunday, after authorities closed the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in the Old City after local Arabs were urged to "protect al-Aqsa" amid rumors that a group of Jewish extremists planned on visiting the site. On Tuesday, some 2,000 police officers deployed in strength across Jerusalem as an annual Jewish march took place with no reported incidents. Thousands of people marched through the streets of Jerusalem for the Jewish festival of Sukkot, with one group passing through the annexed Arab eastern sector. (09,03)
07 octobre 2009
FM Lieberman seeks to fashion 'whole new Israeli foreign policy'
The policy staff in Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman's office has drawn up a secret memo calling for a radical refocus of Israeli foreign policy toward the developing world, The Jerusalem Post has learned. According to sources, the foreign minister plans to bring the five-page preliminary policy paper to the ministry's senior professional staff in the coming days, to begin discussion on implementing what is being described as "guidelines for a whole new foreign policy." According to a copy of the memo obtained by the Post, the new policy involves moving away from a "lone dependence" on the United States as a strategic ally, to developing broader and closer ties with other world powers and with the developing world. The document, which was developed in recent weeks at Lieberman's request, focuses on three major shifts in policy: expanding ties with parts of the world "neglected" by previous governments, lowering international expectations of a breakthrough in negotiations with the Palestinians and creating a "zero-tolerance" policy for anti-Semitic expressions worldwide. (10,26)
06 octobre 2009
Islamic Movement leader Salah arrested for incitement
Sheikh Raed Salah, the leader of the Islamic Movement's northern branch, was arrested Tuesday evening on suspicion of inciting the recent Arab riots in Jerusalem. Salah was arrested in the Wadi Joz area of east Jerusalem, on a rooftop of a home where members of the movement's northern branch had congregated. He was taken for questioning. Earlier Tuesday, after Israeli ministers had called for his indictment, a defiant Salah said that he and his supporters "would pay any price to defend the Aksa [Mosque]" in Jerusalem. Salah called on all Israeli Arabs and residents of east Jerusalem to immediately make their way to the Old City and "shield the mosque with their bodies." In response to accusations of inciting Arab violence in Jerusalem in recent days, Salah stated that if forced by the Israeli government to choose between imprisonment and defending the mosque "and occupied Jerusalem," he would choose the former without hesitation. MK Ibrahim Sarsour (UAL-Ta'al), of the Islamic Movement's more moderate southern branch, told Israel Radio on Tuesday that he could not understand why Salah and his supporters were heralding a tournament where "medals will be handed to all those who participate in the race for Al-Aksa." Sarsour asserted that his northern counterpart's incitement of aggression was counterproductive to the Arab cause. Vice Premier Silvan Shalom and National Infrastructures Minister Uzi Landau had called for the Islamic Movement to be outlawed for allegedly inciting the violence, while Interior Minister Eli Yishai stressed that Israel was the sovereign "in the eternal, united capital of the Jewish people." "Sheikh Raed Salah should be behind bars, and so should [deputy head] Kamal Khatib," Shalom told Israel Radio on Tuesday. "I intend to raise the issue in the next cabinet meeting." While Shalom praised the police force for doing its job, he stressed that "it's time for the state prosecution to start acting." The Palestinian Authority contributes to the situation by trying to assert its authority over east Jerusalem, Shalom said, but Israel needs to assert its sovereignty on the Temple Mount. Israel must act decisively and crack down on the rioters, because if it fails to do so, those fanning the violence will interpret this as a weakness and increase their activities, the vice premier concluded. Landau also called for the indictment of those Muslim leaders who were calling for violence and confrontation in the capital, and encouraging hateful anti-Israeli sentiments, among them "Sheikh Raed Salah and his ilk." "Israel must stop paying the salaries of imams and heads of mosques who engage in incitement against the state of Israel," said Landau. He also called for discussion in the cabinet on bringing PA activity in Jerusalem to a halt. Landau stated that implementing his suggestions could possibly "put a stop to the inflammation that brings about the wounding of soldiers, stone-throwing, riots and clashes." Also on Tuesday morning, Yishai said that "the state of Israel is the sovereign in Jerusalem and there is no force that can limit it in the eternal, united capital of the Jewish people." The interior minister went on to stress that no amount of anti-Jewish preaching could undermine the Jewish people's connection to the city. "Anti-Jewish preaching from within the country or from abroad cannot undermine nor loosen the connection between the people of Israel and their capital, and the need to strengthen and develop the city," the minister concluded. Minorities Minister Avishai Braverman told Israel Radio that the government was strict about ensuring that Jews don't pray at the Temple Mount and stressed that Jews are forbidden from entering the compound according to Jewish law. Extremists on both sides are trying to incite violence and ignite the Middle East, and stopping them is essential, Braverman said. (20,15)
U.S. officials: We're ready to take action on Iran
Administration officials told impatient lawmakers Tuesday that they are ready to take swift and substantial action against Iran if it disregards current diplomatic efforts to stop its alleged nuclear weapons program. At a Senate Banking Committee hearing, lawmakers expressed skepticism that Iran would negotiate in good faith. They said they would not wait long before acting on legislation to impose tough new sanctions on the Tehran government. Banking Committee Chairman Sen. Christopher Dodd, a Democrat, said he planned to move forward this month on a proposal to extend restrictions on financial transactions, impose new sanctions on oil and gas pipelines and tankers, restrict exports of certain refined petroleum products to Iran and impose a broad ban on imports from Iran. He said the world, and particularly the Iranian government, "must know that the United States won't wait long to act and Congress wants action: The fear here collectively is that the Iranian government is taking us to the cleaners on this issue." Administration officials at the hearing stressed that sanctions against Iran are most effective if imposed by a united international coalition. Undersecretary of the Treasury Stuart Levey told the panel: The less united we are in applying pressure, the greater the risk our measures will not have the impact we seek. Last week, the United States and five allies held talks with Iran in Geneva where Iranian officials agreed to open its newly disclosed nuclear plant to United Nations inspectors and take other steps to show it is not trying to develop nuclear weapons. U.S. President Barack Obama said the talks were a constructive beginning, while adding that his administration was working with Congress on new actions targeting Iran's energy, financial and telecommunications sectors in the event Iran did not live up to its promises. James Steinberg, deputy secretary of state, told the hearing that the administration was realistic about prospects for engaging with the Iranian government. But he said the current dual-track strategy of diplomatic talks with the threat of punitive action was helping develop a strong consensus within the international community if the talks falter. He said it would be clear by the end of this month whether Iran is serious about meeting two specific commitments: providing access to the newly revealed nuclear facility and shipping low enriched uranium out of the country. "Our patience is not unlimited," he added. Levey said that "with targeted sanctions backed by a broad coalition of governments, we can at the very least demonstrate to the Iranian government that there are serious costs to any continued refusal to cooperate with the international community." International concerns about Iran's nuclear work grew Tuesday with an Iranian newspaper report that the country plans to install a more advanced type of centrifuge at its newly revealed uranium enrichment site near the holy city of Qom Iran insists its enrichment work is only meant for use in generating power, but Washington and its allies are suspicions of Tehran's intentions and fear its mastery of the technology will give them a pathway to weapons development. "Despite years of diplomatic efforts, Iran has continued to choose a collision course with the free world," said Sen. Sam Brownback, a Republican. Brownbeck and Sen. Bob Casey, a Democrat, are promoting a bill that would allow state and local governments and universities to divest their assets from any company that invests $20 million or more in Iran's energy sector. (19,02)
Palestinian official: Israel deliberately sparking fire in Jerusalem
A senior Palestinian official on Tuesday accused Israel of deliberately creating "an extremely dangerous situation" in East Jerusalem, to trigger violence, justify a crackdown and tighten its grip on the disputed city. "Israel is lighting matches in the hope of sparking a fire, deliberately escalating tensions in occupied East Jerusalem rather than taking steps to placate the situation," chief peace negotiator Saeb Erekat said in a statement before meetings later this week with U.S. President Barack Obama's envoy. Palestinian leaders have issued a series of warnings in the past week after clashes at Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem's Old City between Israeli police and protesters, over alleged attempts by Jewish religious activists to enter the site. The Western-backed Palestinian government on Monday said it would "confront Israel" diplomatically over the rise in tension, after another day of clashes between groups of stone-throwing youths and police firing tear-gas and plastic bullets. The United States and Jordan are trying to ease the tensions surrounding the Temple Mount area in Jerusalem, with Jordan asking Israel to prevent the entry of Jews and tourists to the site until the situation calms down, sources close to the situation told Haaretz. Confrontations continued Monday between Palestinian demonstrators and security forces. One Israeli soldier was stabbed and the number of people detained since the latest disturbances began reached 50. Since 2003 the Israel Police has allowed free access to the Temple Mount to Jews and tourists from 7:30 to 10 A.M. and from 12:30 to 1:30 P.M., via the Mugrabi Gate. Before the outbreak of the second intifada in September 2000, these visits had to be coordinated with the Waqf religious trust, which is under Jordanian control. Between 2000 and 2003, non-Muslims were completely barred from the Temple Mount area, until the Israel Police decided unilaterally to reverse the ban. A senior Jordanian source told Haaretz that the police must keep Jewish religious extremists away from the Temple Mount and keep the Mugrabi Gate closed. "That will calm the atmosphere while respecting the Jordanian role in Al-Aqsa Mosque," he said. The Palestinian Authority, which also has an interest in calming the situation, is to hold negotiations on the rules for visiting the compound with Israel and the Waqf, with the aim of forging an agreement that will allow tourists to visit under the sole supervision of the Waqf. Hatem Abdel Qader, PA adviser on Jerusalem affairs, who was arrested on suspicion of incitement three days ago and later released, approves of such an agreement. He says Israel's unilateral decision to let non-Muslims enter the Temple Mount offends Muslim worshipers because the women among the former often dress inappropriately. U.S. diplomats, meanwhile, are pressuring both the PA and Israel to work to reduce tensions. U.S. officials have spoken with Abdel Qader and stressed that everyone involved must take action to prevent the situation from worsening. "We're not interested in an escalation," one Fatah official said, praising the decision by the Israel Police to keep the Mugrabi Gate closed on Monday. There were a number of incidents across Jerusalem Monday: Near the Anata (Shuafat) refugee camp a Palestinian teen stabbed a Border Police officer, wounding him moderately, before being arrested. In the evening Palestinians threw rocks at police officers near the checkpoint at the camp's entrance. In Ras al Amud, east of the Old City, four police officers were injured when Palestinian teenagers threw rocks at them; 10 suspects were arrested. Police officers dressed as Arabs arrested masked Palestinian teens who threw rocks at police after officers kept a large number of Palestinians from approaching the Old City and Temple Mount. In the Wadi Joz neighborhood there was a confrontation between police officers and about 100 supporters of the Islamic Movement's northern branch when the police tried to approach the Old City. The crowd was dispersed with little violence. It now appears, however, that the Islamic Movement's northern branch is trying to fan the flames. Sheikh Ra'ad Salah, the branch's leader, called on all Muslims on Monday to come to Al-Aqsa Mosque and remain inside for as long as it takes "to protect Al-Aqsa." He told an Arab television station that the Israeli occupation seeks to build a synagogue on Al-Aqsa Mosque. "We call on everyone who is able to enter Al-Aqsa Mosque immediately and remain there for as long as required, for the sake of Al-Quds [Jerusalem] and for the sake of Al-Aqsa," Salah said in an interview. "As long as there is occupation [by Israel], there is danger [to the mosque]. We must be in a state of constant readiness because of the potential damage to 1 billion Muslims. Al-Quds is ours and was, and is, sacred ground for Muslims. That is our position. We will not concede even if we die for this position. We will continue with these measures for as long as Al-Aqsa is under threat." (19,01)
Fatah official: Abbas shirking responsibility
Senior PLO official and outgoing Palestinian Ambassador to Egypt Nabil Amr, harshly criticized President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday over his stance on the Goldstone Report on Operation Cast Lead in Gaza. Amr, who until recently served as a close advisor to the president, said Abbas is responsible for the change in the Palestinian Authority's position with regards to the report, which led to the deferral of a vote in the UN's Human Rights Council on whether action should be taken. Amr's remarks come as particularly harsh statements from a senior Fatah official. He slammed Abbas' decision to form an internal inquiry commission to probe the matter, and said this was an insincere attempt by Abbas to shirk responsibility. "How, in the shadow of such an affair, can Abu Mazen (Abbas) chose to travel around the world and not be with the people and explain to them what happened?" he said. The outgoing ambassador said he was resigning from all posts in the Palestinian Authority, and not just from his position in Cairo. Amr's verbal attack comes as Fatah sources are busy trying to minimize the damage caused by the affair. Top Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat earlier said President Abbas was "seriously considering" asking that the report be passed on to the Security Council. "President Abbas is seriously studying the possibility of asking the Arab and Islamic bloc to officially take the Goldstone Report to international bodies, including the UN General Assembly and the Security Council," he said in a phone call from Amman. (18,52)
Islamic Movement: Threats of arrest won't stop us
The Islamic Movement on Tuesday pledged to continue its mandate of representing Muslims within Israel's borders, despite calls from several ministers to outlaw the organization for allegedly inciting violence during the recent clashes in Jerusalem. Vice Premier Silvan Shalom was the first minister to make the call, accusing the movement of provoking the masses into violence. Northern branch leader Sheikh Ra'ad Salah and his deputy Kamel Hatib should both be arrested, Shalom told Israel Radio. In response to the comments, a spokesman for the Islamic Movement said: "Those trying to take control of the Al-Aqsa Mosque need self-reflection... The Islamic Movement gets its legitimacy from its many supporters within the Green Line, and not from the Israeli establishment and people like Silvan Shalom." The spokesman told Haaretz that the movement's leaders were not afraid of arrest, regardless of threats. "We are a movement with deep roots and will continue to do our work and relay our messages," he said. In his comments to Israel Radio, Shalom also blamed the Palestinian Authority for the recent flare ups, claiming it was trying to place East Jerusalem under its own jurisdiction. "We must be decisive and act with a firm hand, or they will identify our weakness and intensify their actions," said Shalom. Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch and Police Commissioner David Cohen announced on Monday that they would "take steps" in the coming days against Salah, who has been prohibited from entering the Temple Mount area for several months and has been staying at a nearby residence while following developments Salah told Haaretz on Monday that the clashes in the Old City of Jerusalem would last as long as Israel's "occupation" of the city and Al-Aqsa Mosque continued. He said the Israeli government must understand that using force does not grant it rights to Al-Aqsa Mosque or anywhere else in East Jerusalem, and that the key to achieving calm in the area is an Israeli "withdrawal." "No one has rights to the Al-Aqsa Mosque other than the Muslims. The mosque compound is Muslim, Palestinian and Arab, and Israel has no rights to the mosque or East Jerusalem," he said. The Islamic Movement leader reiterated his call for Arabs within Israel's Green Line and in Jerusalem to protest beside the mount to "protect Al-Aqsa from the infiltration of extremist Jewish elements." Echoing Shalom's sentiment, National Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau said on Monday that "Israel should stop paying the salaries of imams and mosque heads that incite against it." Landau urged the government to hold a special session dealing with ending PA activities in Jerusalem, as well as act toward banishing its instructions from the capital. "The incitement that encourages the stabbing of soldiers, the hurling of stones and disorderly conduct in general must be stopped," Landau said. Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Eli Yishai, also relating to alleged PA involvement in recent Jerusalem clashes, said that "the State of Israel is the only authority in Jerusalem and no force can qualify that." "The anti-Jewish incitement coming from within Israel's borders and abroad cannot loosen the tie between the people of Israel and its capital and the need to secure and strengthen it," Yishai added. (14,57)