Palestinian President: Closing Jerusalem holy site ‘a declaration of war’
October 30, 2014
(CNN) – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday called Israel’s closure of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City after shootings a “declaration of war” as tensions rose in the city. Presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh told CNN on Thursday that the decision to close off al-Aqsa Mosque was a “brazen challenge” and “grave behavior” that would lead to “further tensions and instability”. Israeli police said they closed the Temple Mount “to prevent disturbances” after the drive-by shooting of controversial activist Rabbi Yehuda Glick on Wednesday night.