Israel's foreign minister on Sunday accused the Hamas militant group of orchestrating recent unrest at Jerusalem's most sensitive holy site, responding to criticism that Israeli police used heavy-handed tactics to quell the violence.
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Yair Lapid made the comments following days of clashes between Israeli police and Palestinians at the contested holy site. The confrontations have come at a time of heightened tensions following a string of deadly attacks inside Israel. It is the worst violence to shake the region since an 11-day war last year.
Speaking to foreign reporters, Lapid accused Hamas of "hijacking" the activities at the Al-Aqsa Mosque during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and encouraging young Palestinian men to throw stones and fireworks at Israeli security forces.
"They have done this to create the provocation to force the Israeli police to enter the mosque" and set off a regionwide conflict, he said.
The Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third-holiest site in Islam. It sits on a sprawling esplanade that also is the holiest site for Jews, who call it to the Temple Mount because it was the location of the biblical Jewish Temples.
The Palestinians have accused Israel of provoking the latest violence by allowing large numbers of Jewish pilgrims to visit the site. Last week, Jews celebrated the festival of Passover, a time when tens of thousands of people visit Jerusalem.
Under longstanding agreements, Jews are permitted to visit the compound, but they are barred from praying. Lapid rejected accusations that Israel was responsible for the violence, saying that Israel is committed to maintaining the "status quo" at the site.
"There is no change. There will be no change. We have no plans to divide the Temple Mount between religions," he said. He called on Israel's allies in the Muslim world to "act against these fake news" and to help calm the situation.
Lapid also rejected suggestions that Israeli police have used excessive force to disperse the demonstrations at the Al-Aqsa site.
"During Ramadan, Israel ensured that hundreds of thousands of Muslims could go to the Temple Mount and pray at Al-Aqsa," Lapid said. "Despite provocations by terrorist organizations, despite attempts to stoke violence: We have done, and continue to do everything to enable peaceful prayer."
In Gaza, Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum blamed Israel for the violence.
"The one who bears full responsibility for detonating the situation in Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque is the occupation government, which brutally attacks defenseless worshippers on a daily basis, prevents them from reaching Al-Aqsa and tries to impose the project of Judaization," he said.
The rocket fire out of Gaza in recent days has been the heaviest since last year's war. None of the rockets have caused any damage or injuries inside Israel, but they have set off sirens in parts of southern Israel and angered residents there.
On Sunday, Israel closed its crossing with Gaza, barring some 12,000 Palestinians from going to work in Israel. The job permits have been an economic lifeline for thousands of Gazan families and were considered to be a key factor in maintaining stability before the latest fighting broke out.
The Gaza workers' union accused Israel of imposing "collective punishment" on people who were not involved in the fighting. Israel has not said when it will reopen the crossing.
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