Israeli Arab lawmakers vow to defy Al-Aqsa mosque ban

Israeli police seen outside the Dome of the Rock mosque during clashes with Palestinian stone-throwers.

Mr. Netanyahu on Wednesday barred Jewish members of parliament from entering the compound, known as Temple Mount to Jews and the Nobel Sanctuary to Muslims.

Under an agreement with Islamic religious authorities, Jews can tour the complex but not pray at the site in Jerusalem’s Old City. Many Palestinians believe Israel is trying to expand the Jewish presence at the site, a claim Israel adamantly denies. Following complaints from right-wing ministers, the Prime Minister’s Office reportedly issued a clarification on Thursday that indicated the ban also applied to Arab lawmakers and ministers.

“We (spit on) the prime minister’s decisions”.

A spate of “lone-wolf” stabbings, unrest & clashes in Israel & the West Bank have left least 10 lifeless & 1,300 wounded in a single week.

“Netanyahu continues to be dragged after the settlers’ leadership in the coalition and is deteriorating all of us into the abyss”.

“The al-Aqsa plaza is occupied territory that, according to the status quo, is managed by the King of Jordan and the Muslim Waqf, and Netanyahu has no legal or moral authority to ban Arab MKs from going to the mosque”, he said, the Jerusalem Post reported. Israelis and Palestinians have been injured or killed. When Israeli police – acting on intelligence that the Muslims planned to throw the stones at Jews praying at the Western Wall, below the Temple Mount – confronted them at the mosque, televised news footage outraged the Arab world.

The directive will not be enforced against Arab members of the Knesset, several of whom ascended to the Temple Mount last week and made violent speeches proclaiming that Jewish prayer will never be permitted at the site, which is the holiest in Judaism.

The violence has escalated in the past week.