- Title: SYRIA/TURKEY: Syrians and Turks stage anti-Israeli demos
- Date: 10th October 2009
- Summary: YARMOUK CAMP, SYRIA (OCTOBER 9, 2009) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PRO-HAMAS/ANTI-ISRAELI DEMONSTRATION A MAN HOLDING A PICTURE OF AL AQSA MOSQUE CHILDREN HOLDING PALESTINIAN FLAG MORE OF DEMONSTRATION TALAL NASSAR, HAMAS MEMBER, PARTICIPATING IN THE DEMONSTRATION (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) TALAL NASSAR, HAMAS MEMBER, SAYING: "Yes, we are studying the possibility of postponing th
- Embargoed: 25th October 2009 12:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVA6W402A2TTNSOVBZPJHH4NFGNE
- Story Text: Anti-Israeli demonstrators in the Syrian refugee camp of Yarmouk and Turkey's Istanbul protest at recent escalation in tension around Jerusalem's holy sites.
Hundreds of anti-Israeli demonstrators gathered in a refugee camp in Syria to denounce Israel following tension this week between Jews and Palestinians around Jerusalem's holy sites.
This week Palestinian officials accused Israel of triggering violence in East Jerusalem to justify a crackdown and to tighten its grip on the disputed city.
The clashes at al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem's Old City between Israeli police and Palestinian protesters, over alleged attempts by Jewish religious activists to enter the site, threatened to develop into a wider conflict and halt all efforts made to try and restart peace talks between the two sides.
The compound housing the mosque is a holy place for both Muslims and Jews, and has often been a flashpoint of tension. Israeli security forces control access to the area and regularly prohibit young Muslim men from entering.
Protesters in the Yarmouk refugee camp near Damascus waved Hamas and Hezbollah flags.
One of the protesters, Hamas member Talal Nassar, said the Islamist movement will look into planned reconciliation talks with rival political power Fatah, but may postpone its planned agreement in Cairo on Oct. 24-26.
"Yes, we are studying the possibility of postponing the date and we have told the Egyptian party to postpone the date so we can study the issue of reconciliation so the movement (Hamas) can present a point of view that is based on the Palestinian street's opinion," he said.
The ceremony was supposed to cap over a year-long diplomatic slog by Egyptian mediators working to close the split in the Palestinian national movement.
But Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the Fatah leader, is under political fire from Palestinians for agreeing last Friday to shelve a United Nations war crimes report by judge Richard Goldstone criticising Israel's Gaza offensive.
In Istanbul, hundreds took to the streets in support of Palestinians after Friday prayers in the city.
Many waved Palestinian flags and demonstrators burnt an Israeli flag, as well as an effigy of prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Some Palestinian figures have compared the week's events to violence that erupted after Israeli right-winger Ariel Sharon visited the site in 2000, triggering a Palestinian uprising against Israel.
Abbas's Western-backed government said this week it would "confront Israel" diplomatically over the rise in tension.
Obama's peace envoy George Mitchell is due back in Jerusalem this week to continue efforts to revive stalled peace talks between Abbas and Netanyahu. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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