But government critics said the fact that it is even being discussed sent an ominous message to Palestinians. “This is another reminder for them how conditional that status is”.
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In a bid to pre-empt a wave of consecutive visits by right-wing Jewish lawmakers, Netanyahu said that he “will not let any parliament member or minister ignite the Temple Mount, and I call on all members of the parliament and public figures in general to act responsibly, especially at this time”.
Later, a Palestinian stabbed an Israeli woman outside a West Bank supermarket, wounding her moderately, the military said.
Netanyahu, government officials and other Israelis have blamed the Islamic Movement’s Northern Branch for the recent wave of violence in Israel and the West Bank.
An Israeli woman was wounded and a Palestinian attacker was killed, as two attacks by Palestinians against Israelis took place in the West Bank territories in less than an hour on Wednesday afternoon. Eleven Israelis have been killed, mostly in stabbings, while 55 Palestinians, including 35 identified by Israel as attackers, have been killed by Israeli fire.
Israel has deployed hundreds of soldiers in cities across the country to back up thousands of police officers.
“We are part of the Palestinian people”.
The annexation was never internationally recognized, and few Palestinians applied for Israeli citizenship, viewing it as acceptance of an illegitimate occupation.
Netanyahu’s office reacted swiftly with a statement late Monday recalling his promise to maintain the status quo which allows Muslims to pray at the site, and Jews to visit but not pray there.
With development tightly restricted by Israel, Arab neighborhoods inside the barrier have seen real estate values skyrocket in recent years due to a housing crunch.
“The Hashemite kingdom is the guardian of Jerusalem’s holy sites and the occupying Israeli force shouldn’t meddle in that”, said Islamic Affairs Minister Hayel Abdelhafiz in comments reported in the daily al-Destour.
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Amman has retained custodial rights over the holy sites – annexed along with the rest of east Jerusalem – but Israel controls access.
