Jordan king attacks Israel over mosque excavations

Jordan's King Abdullah said on Tuesday Israeli excavation works near the al-Aqsa mosque in the holy city of Jerusalem has led to a dangerous rise in Middle East tensions and could derail revival of Arab-Israeli peace talks.

"What Israel is doing in its practices and attacks against our sacred Muslim sites in Jerusalem and al-Aqsa is a blatant violation that is not acceptable under any pretext," the monarch was quoted by the state news agency Petra as saying. "These measures will only create an atmosphere that will not at all help in the success of efforts being undertaken to restore the peace process," the monarch said. (Reuters)