JERUSALEM (AP) – Israel’s prime minister has lashed out at an Arab lawmaker for flouting a directive and visiting the sensitive Jerusalem holy site that is at the heart of the recent round of unrest, as the five-week long outbreak of violence that has plagued the region continued.
The visit by Israeli legislator Basel Ghattas, a Christian Arab, to the hilltop compound known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims at the Noble Sanctuary defied instructions by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that all ministers and lawmakers – regardless of religion – avoid visiting the holy site during the tense time.
Netanyahu issued a televised statement to condemn Ghattas’ move, adding that police removed him from the site. Ghattas said he does not recognize Netanyahu’s authority.
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