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| Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas denounces Israel's closure of East Jerusalem mosque as 'tantamount to a declaration of war' | Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas denounces Israel's closure of East Jerusalem mosque as 'tantamount to a declaration of war' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has denounced Israel's closure of a mosque in East Jerusalem as "tantamount to a declaration of war". | Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has denounced Israel's closure of a mosque in East Jerusalem as "tantamount to a declaration of war". |
| Israeli police shut access to the whole of the Al-Aqsa compound, also known as the Temple Mount, to all visitors following the shooting of far-right Jewish activist Yehuda Glick on Wednesday. | |
| A 32-year-old Palestinian man suspected of being responsible for the shooting has today been shot dead by Israeli police, leading to clashes in the area. | A 32-year-old Palestinian man suspected of being responsible for the shooting has today been shot dead by Israeli police, leading to clashes in the area. |
| US-born activist Glick has led a campaign for Jewish people to be allowed to pray at the mosque compound, which is the third-holiest shrine in Islam and the holiest place in Judaism. | US-born activist Glick has led a campaign for Jewish people to be allowed to pray at the mosque compound, which is the third-holiest shrine in Islam and the holiest place in Judaism. |
| He was shot as he left a conference at the Menachem Begin Heritage Centre in Jerusalem late on Wednesday. | He was shot as he left a conference at the Menachem Begin Heritage Centre in Jerusalem late on Wednesday. |
| A Palestinian woman walks in front of the Dome of the Rock in the Al-Aqsa mosque compound on October 19, 2014 (AFP) | A Palestinian woman walks in front of the Dome of the Rock in the Al-Aqsa mosque compound on October 19, 2014 (AFP) |
| The area around the mosque was closed by Israeli authorities after far-right Jewish groups urged supporters to march at the site following the shooting of Glick. | The area around the mosque was closed by Israeli authorities after far-right Jewish groups urged supporters to march at the site following the shooting of Glick. |
| Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas denounced the closure and said that "Israeli aggression" including around holy places was "tantamount to a declaration of war". | Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas denounced the closure and said that "Israeli aggression" including around holy places was "tantamount to a declaration of war". |
| Israeli police today shot dead Moataz Hejazi, who was suspected of trying to kill the hard-line Jewish activist on Wednesday. | Israeli police today shot dead Moataz Hejazi, who was suspected of trying to kill the hard-line Jewish activist on Wednesday. |
| Glick remained in hospital and in serious condition today. | Glick remained in hospital and in serious condition today. |
| In an interview with The Associated Press earlier this week, Glick warned of the growing violence in Jerusalem and said Jews were increasingly being attacked by Muslims. | In an interview with The Associated Press earlier this week, Glick warned of the growing violence in Jerusalem and said Jews were increasingly being attacked by Muslims. |
| Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas speaks during a meeting of the Fatah revolutionary council in the West Bank city of Ramallah on October 18 (AP) | Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas speaks during a meeting of the Fatah revolutionary council in the West Bank city of Ramallah on October 18 (AP) |
| The holy site has lately been the scene of clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police. Crowds of Palestinian men and boys lit small fires used rubbish skips on Thursday to block off the streets near where Hejazi was killed. | The holy site has lately been the scene of clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police. Crowds of Palestinian men and boys lit small fires used rubbish skips on Thursday to block off the streets near where Hejazi was killed. |
| They smashed tiles and bricks and used the pieces to throw at Israeli police, Reuters has reported. Police responded with "sounds bombs" and at least one canister of tear gas, which briefly scattered the crowd. | They smashed tiles and bricks and used the pieces to throw at Israeli police, Reuters has reported. Police responded with "sounds bombs" and at least one canister of tear gas, which briefly scattered the crowd. |
| Galib Abu Nejmeh, 65, told Reuters: "It is not a good situation, it is the worst, everyone is angry." | Galib Abu Nejmeh, 65, told Reuters: "It is not a good situation, it is the worst, everyone is angry." |
| "It is becoming like another Intifada," he said, comparing it to the scenes in East Jerusalem in the late 1980s. | "It is becoming like another Intifada," he said, comparing it to the scenes in East Jerusalem in the late 1980s. |
| East Jerusalem has been the scene of increased tensions in recent months, particularly in the area of Silwan, which sits in the shadow of the Old City and Al-Aqsa. | East Jerusalem has been the scene of increased tensions in recent months, particularly in the area of Silwan, which sits in the shadow of the Old City and Al-Aqsa. |
| Jewish settler organisations have acquired more than two dozen buildings in Silwan over the years, including nine in the past three months, and moved settler families into them. | Jewish settler organisations have acquired more than two dozen buildings in Silwan over the years, including nine in the past three months, and moved settler families into them. |
| Roughly 500 settlers now live among approximately 40,000 Palestinians residents. | Roughly 500 settlers now live among approximately 40,000 Palestinians residents. |
| That process, combined with the tensions over Al -Aqsa and the Temple Mount, have led to the most-fractious atmosphere in East Jerusalem in more than a decade, according to locals - since the second Intifada or uprising that began in 2000. | That process, combined with the tensions over Al -Aqsa and the Temple Mount, have led to the most-fractious atmosphere in East Jerusalem in more than a decade, according to locals - since the second Intifada or uprising that began in 2000. |
| Additional reporting by Reuters and Associated Press | Additional reporting by Reuters and Associated Press |