Palestinians and Israeli police clash in ‘day of rage’

Dozens of rock-throwing Palestinians clashed with police in several locations in East Jerusalem, which Israel captured in a 1967 war along with the West Bank. Police responded with teargas and rubber bullets. Medical officials said at least 40 Palestinians were treated in East Jerusalem hospitals. Police said two policemen were hurt. The violence was another challenge to US efforts to revive Middle East peace talks after Israel angered Palestinians and touched off a dispute with Washington by announcing plans to build 1,600 homes for Jews in a part of the occupied West Bank it annexed to Jerusalem.

US Middle East envoy George Mitchell canceled plans to return to the region on Tuesday after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would not curb such construction, opposed by the United States, in and around East Jerusalem. “There is an explosive situation. There are Netanyahu’s policies, which are tantamount to pouring oil on fire,” said Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat.

Hamas, the group that controls the Gaza Strip, said in a statement that Palestinians should “regard Tuesday as a day of rage against the occupation’s [Israel’s] procedures in Jerusalem against al-Aqsa mosque.” Hamas leaders made particular mention of the renovation of the Hurva synagogue, in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem’s walled Old City, saying the restoration work was an Israeli plot to demolish al-Aqsa, some 400 meters away.

A Palestinian youth kicks a tire set ablaze during clashes with Israeli troops in the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Wadi al-Joz on Tuesday. Israeli border police take position against Palestinian stone-throwers during clashes in East Jerusalem.

Israel has denied the allegation and the US State Department, appealing for calm, voiced concern at what it described as Palestinian incitement and mischaracterisation of the renovation of the 18th century synagogue.

Housing plan

Citing biblical and historical links, Israel sees all of Jerusalem as its capital, a claim not recognized internationally. The Palestinians want East Jerusalem to be the capital of a future state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Israel’s announcement, during a visit last week by US Vice President Joe Biden, of the Jewish housing plan in what Israel describes as a Jerusalem neighborhood embarrassed the White House.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who had just agreed to start indirect talks with Israel, demanded the project be scrapped first.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in unusually blunt remarks, called Israel’s actions an insult. Netanyahu voiced regret at the timing of the move but made no move to cancel the plan. Israel said construction was several years away.

Clinton telephoned Netanyahu on Friday to convey unspecified demands about the housing project as well as about demonstrating commitment to the US-mediated peace talks, the State Department said, without elaborating.

US officials said they were still waiting for Israel’s formal response. Israeli media reports said Clinton had asked for the settlement plan to be scrapped and for Israel to agree to discuss core statehood issues with the Palestinians.

Undercover Israeli police officers detain a Palestinian demonstrator during clashes in East Jerusalem on Tuesday. Dozens of masked Palestinians set tires ablaze across the holy city’s volatile eastern sector, where thousands of Israeli officers, including reinforcements brought in from other locations, were in place for a fifth straight day.