Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Monday that Israeli is not an “occupier” and that Hamas is an enemy of peace.
He added that the reason for Israel’s counter-terror Protective Edge campaign was Hamas rocket fire on the country.
Regarding Ban’s concern over “provocations” on the Temple Mount, Netanyahu described the daily violence and incitement by Muslims against Jews.
The Prime Minister’s statements were mainly for the record so that future historians won’t say Israel never warned the United Nations that its view of the Palestinian Authority is cockeyed.
Ban said in Ramallah earlier in the day, when he visited Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah, that “while rebuilding is important, we must tackle the root causes of instability. We must give renewed attention to the West Bank. I once again strongly condemn the continued settlement activity by Israel.
“I am also deeply concerned by repeated provocations at the holy sites in Jerusalem. These only inflame tensions and must stop.”
The PLO explained to the world the meaning of the word “provocations.”
“Allowing extremist Israeli settlers to raid Al Aqsa compound protected by the Israeli police is a further proof of the belligerent agenda of the extremist Israeli government,” it said in a statement. “Such actions are part of the Israeli goal to turn Jerusalem into an exclusive Jewish city.”
‘Extremist settlers” refers to Knesset Member Moshe Feiglin, who visited the Temple Mount on Monday, again upsetting the Palestinian Authority campaign that the Temple Mount remain exclusive for Muslims.
Arab MK Aby Arar wrote on Friday to a Jewish activist, who complained that police had closed the holy site to Jews, “It should be closed all the time to Jews because they have no business there.”