Rightists vow revenge if Jerusalem Arabs riot

Prominent right-wing elements have called on settlers to damage Palestinian property in protest against the limitations placed on the entrance of Jews to the Temple Mount compound in east Jerusalem and against what they called "the destruction carried out by Civil Administration inspectors and IDF soldiers in the West Bank", Ynet learned on Monday.

The Temple Mount compound also houses the al-Aqsa Mosque, one of the holiest Muslim sites.

The grievances against the Civil Administration refer to its enforcement of the 10-month construction moratorium in the West Bank.

In a conversation with Ynet, rightist leaders threatened to retaliate should Arab residents of east Jerusalem riot. "United Jerusalem is ours. Any attempt by the US government or the Netanyahu government to undermine this weakens Israel and bolsters the Arabs. If they (Arabs) riot in Jerusalem, we'll riot as well," one of the rightists said.

Another right-wing leader told Ynet, "We are enraged over the police's decision to prevent the entrance of Jews into the Temple Mount and promise to avenge – as the Torah orders us – any Palestinian attempt to damage property or harm Jews."

During the early hours of Monday morning West Bank settlers torched five Palestinian vehicles in the Nablus area. Residents of the Yitzhar settlement said the act was a response to damage Palestinians caused to a Jewish-owned vineyard.

"The policy of restraint and forgiveness is no longer. From now on, any act of violence on the part of the Palestinians will be dealt with severely," one of the settlers said.

The Civil Administration urged the settlers to tone down their statements for fear of a flare-up, while Peace Now called on police to arrest "inciting right-wing elements".