Video: Israel’s extremism stoking Jerusalem violence

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is refusing to remove metal detectors at the gates of Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa mosque compound, despite advice from the Israeli army and Shin Bet secret police that he should do so.

I told Al Jazeera English on Saturday evening that Netanyahu’s rejection of this advice is a further indication that his move is political – part of Israel’s plan to consolidate its control over al-Aqsa, one of the holiest sites for Muslims.

Watch the video above.

Four Palestinians shot and killed

On Saturday, 23-year-old Yousif Kashour was shot and fatally wounded near the Jerusalem village of al-Eizariya, as occupation forces continued to use live fire, tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets against those protesting Israel’s moves to tighten control over al-Aqsa.

Kashour is the fourth Palestinian to be killed by Israeli gunfire since Friday. Also on Friday, three Israeli settlers were killed in a stabbing attack in the occupied West Bank.

A 17-year-old Palestinian was meanwhile killed by a landmine left by the Israeli army in the northern West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry stated on Saturday.

I told Al Jazeera English that the metal detectors were only the spark for the protests. The background to the violence is Israel’s attempt, spearheaded by government-backed Jewish extremists, to tighten control over the occupied East Jerusalem holy site, with the aim of eventually taking it over completely.

World governments not helping

On Saturday, Sweden, France and Egypt called for the UN Security Council to urgently meet to discuss Jerusalem.

I noted that the situation is not being helped by world governments that refuse to hold Israel, the occupying power, accountable.

The EU’s embassy in Tel Aviv, for instance, tweeted its condemnation of the killing of the three settlers, but remained silent about Israel’s earlier slayings of Palestinians protesting for their rights.

A statement issued by the office of the EU foreign policy chief also fails to explicitly condemn Israeli killings of Palestinians, merely calling for an “investigation” of the deaths of the three protesters shot dead on Friday.

The Israeli human rights group B’Tselem has said that investigations by Israel systematically whitewash crimes against Palestinians and serve as a “fig leaf” for the military occupation.

On Sunday, Palestinians continued their protests, praying and staging sit-ins in the streets near the compound.

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These 2 emails I wrote in protest to the EU and UN respectively. Anwers? No answers which was to be expected.
Onderwerp: Statement by the Spokesperson on the attack against Israeli police officers
Datum: Tue, 18 Jul 2017 17:32:21 +0200
Van: Dear Mrs. Ray, Mrs. Kocijancic, Mrs. Deville,
The branding by the EU of the attack on two policeofficers in al Quds (
Jerusalem ) on the fourteenthe of July as a terrorist act is an
shameless distortion of the truth.
I remind you to the resolution 3246 of the UNSC of November 29 1974
which states: Affirms the legitimacy of armed resistance by oppressed
peoples in pursuit of the right to self-determination, and condemns
governments which do not support that right.
So the EU has to be condemned because of its disregard of the
consequences of this resolution which was supported by France, the UK
and the US.
The attack on the policemen was NOT a terrorattack. It was a legitimate
act of resistance.
The policemen are not civilians. They play an active role in the
suppression of the Palestinian people. A fact the EU is to faint hearted
to admit.
In the same instance the EU is ignoring the blockade of the Gaza prison.
Now in it's tenth year or the regular killings by the IDF of Palestinian
civilians in the West Bank and Gaza.
Is this a revenge for the loss of the former colonies of several
European states?
I only can conclude that the EU, with it's business as usual like
Horizon 2000 is a despicable organisation.
I am ashamed being a citizen living in one of it's members.
Regards.
And the UN

-------- Doorgestuurd bericht --------
Onderwerp: Attn Mr Mladenov The condemnation by you of the act of resistance on the fourteenth of July 2017
Datum: Tue, 18 Jul 2017 17:46:33 +0200
Van:
Aan: ochaopt@un.org
Dear Mr. Mladenov,
The branding by the UN of the attack Onderwerp: Statement by the Spokesperson on the attack against Israeli police officers