VARIOUS: THOUSANDS OF PALESTINIANS PROTEST AGAINST OPENING OF TOURIST TUNNEL NEAR TEMPLE MOUNT, A SITE HOLY BOTH TO BOTH JEWS AND MOSLEMS

Record ID: 278284

  • Title: VARIOUS: THOUSANDS OF PALESTINIANS PROTEST AGAINST OPENING OF TOURIST TUNNEL NEAR TEMPLE MOUNT, A SITE HOLY BOTH TO BOTH JEWS AND MOSLEMS
  • Date: 24th September 1996
  • Summary: JERUSALEM / GAZA CITY, GAZA / LONDON ENGLAND (SEPTEMBER 24 + 25, 1996) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) JERUSALEM (SEPTEMBER 25, 1996) 1. GV WAILING WALL 0.07 2. SLV PAN JEWS PRAYING AT WAILING WALL 0.15 3. SV TOURISTS ARRIVING AT TUNNEL 0.26 4. LAS ISRAELI FLAG ON TOP OF WAILING WALL 0.29 5. SV DAMASCUS GATE AT THE OLD CITY
  • Embargoed: 9th October 1996 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: JERUSALEM / GAZA CITY / LONDON, ENGLAND
  • City:
  • Country: Gaza Gaza Gaza EUROPE ASIA Jerusalem Jerusalem England United Kingdom Israel MIDDLE EAST
  • Reuters ID: LVABG8CKYTPYKTI13NYYBUCQSL64
  • Story Text: INTRO: The opening of a tourist tunnel near Islam's third holiest shrine has caused outrage in the Arab quarter of Jerusalem.

    Palestinians closed shops in Arab East Jerusalem and urged Arab states to halt peace moves with Israel in protest at the opening of the tunnel at the site of the al-Aqsa mosque.

    Israeli security forces were braced for a mid-day Palestinian protest march from the Damascus Gate of walled Old Jerusalem past the new tunnel opening to the Jewish Temple Mount.

    The Palestinian self-rule Authority cabinet, meeting in emergency session in Gaza late on Tuesday night, called for demonstrations throughout the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Jerusalem on Wednesday to protest against the tunnel.

    A Palestinian cabinet statement said the Israeli move "proved to us that the Israeli leaders are not serious at all about the path of the peace process or respecting agreements".

    The cabinet decision came shortly after the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) called on the U.N. Security Council to reverse Israel's action. The Higher Islamic Council has already called for a commercial strike in Jerusalem on Wednesday and demonstrations after noon prayers.

    Palestinian President Yasser Arafat called the tunnel a "crime" against the religious status quo in the disputed city, and a breach of the foundering Israeli-PLO peace accord.

    Minister for high education, Hannan Ashrawi said the tunnel was an international matter as Jerusalem was at the heart of Palestinian land Palestinian Planning Minister Nabil Shaath said the opening of the tunnel amounted to an Israeli invasion of Jerusalem.

    But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the decision to open the tunnel.

    During a visit to Britain he said the tunnel would improve tourism in Jerusalem which would benefit everyone, particularly the traders in the Arab quarter.

    Palestinians clashed with police on Tuesday after workmen, under cover of night and with a heavy police guard, punched a second entrance through a stone wall to the tunnel which takes visitors past 2,500-year-old archaeological finds.

    Police said 11 Arabs were arrested. No injuries were reported.

    The 488-metre-long (500-yard) tunnel, which exposes the Herodian foundations of the Wailing Wall, has been open for some time with only one entry and exit point in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City.


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