News Digest

Israel tightens security as Jewish extremists plan march through Jerusalem

Jewish extremist groups planned to march through Jerusalem on Thursday in a move expected to stoke tensions following a deadly Palestinian car attack and clashes at the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound. Israeli police set up concrete barriers and roadblocks in annexed Arab east Jerusalem, a day after a Palestinian deliberately ran over two groups of pedestrians, killing a policeman, in the second such attack in a fortnight. Hours later, another Palestinian vehicle ran over three Israeli soldiers in the southern West Bank, leaving one in serious condition and hiking Israeli fears of a wave of copycat hit-and-run attacks. Jerusalem has been on edge for months, with almost nightly clashes in Arab neighbourhoods since the brutal summer murder of a Palestinian teenager by Jewish extremists.

We will march with Temple flags from the site of the attempted murder to the gates of the Temple Mount.

Flyer advertising today’s march

Wednesday’s attack - in which the driver was shot dead by police - sparked a fresh wave of rioting. The worst unrest took place in Shuafat refugee camp where the driver, Ibrahim al-Akari, lived, but there were also clashes in Issawiya and Silwan. During the night, police arrested 16 Palestinians for public order offences but by morning, the city was calm, police spokeswoman Luba Samri said. Police set up roadblocks in flashpoint Palestinian neighbourhoods and deployed reinforcements at key road junctions. They also began installing concrete barricades at the 24 stops along Jerusalem’s 14-kilometre light railway. The march is linked to last week’s attempted murder of Rabbi Yehuda Glick, a prominent lobbyist for Jewish prayer rights at the compound, by a Palestinian on a motorcycle.

At last night’s security consultation, the prime minister made it clear that there will be no change in the status quo on the Temple Mount and that whoever expresses a different opinion is presenting a personal view and not the policy of the government.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu