SATURDAY
OCTOBER 28, 2000

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TROUBLE IN THE HOLY LAND
Temple Mount
'claimed' by Palestinians
Flag flown at Dome of the Rock
on self-proclaimed 'day of rage'

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By Jon E. Dougherty
© 2000 WorldNetDaily.com

Palestinians attending weekly prayers at Temple Mount in Jerusalem yesterday managed to unfurl a Palestinian flag atop the Dome of the Rock, ostensibly "claiming" it for themselves, though Jerusalem contains holy sites recognized by Jews and Arabs alike.

Israeli police, mindful of terrorist attacks Thursday on army posts throughout Gaza and the West Bank -- and hoping to avoid violence sparked after last week's Friday prayers -- prohibited Palestinian men under age 35 from entering Temple Mount. Last week, security forces limited access to men under 45 after Palestinian militants and leaders called for a "day of rage" against the Jewish state. Palestinians dubbed yesterday another "day of rage," during which four more Palestinians were killed in clashes in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Local security police officers counted only about 7,000 Palestinians who came to the holy site yesterday, compared to usual figures of between 15,000 and 20,000. Some of the travelers waved Palestinian and Hamas flags -- Hamas is a militant Islamic group noted for terrorist attacks against Israeli forces and civilians.

Also yesterday, Israeli officials said that eight of the Palestinians involved in lynching two Israeli Defense Force reserve soldiers two weeks ago have been found and detained. Officially, the government is admitting only to capturing the young Palestinian seen in photos broadcast worldwide while standing at the window of the Palestinian Authority police station where the soldiers were killed, waving his blood-soaked hands.

Meanwhile, Israeli lawmakers touring Jewish communities in Yesha have called for abandoning 11 settlements because they are becoming too dangerous to defend.

A new bill in the Israeli Knesset calls on Israel to abandon Netzarim and Kfar Darom in Gaza, Hevron, Psagot, five central Shomron towns -- Tapuach, Yitzhar, Bracha, Itamar and Elon Moreh -- and Ganim and Kadim in northern Shomron.

The legislation said those settlements are "centers of friction and violence that endanger the lives of civilians and soldiers."

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© 2000 WorldNetDaily.com, Inc.
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