UN: Israel-Palestinian clashes a threat beyond Jerusalem
The U.N.'s Mideast envoy is warning that clashes between Israelis and Palestinians in and around Jerusalem's holy sites have the potential to ignite violence well beyond the walls of its old city.
Nikolay Mladenov urged all parties to refrain from "provocative actions and rhetoric," stressing that the clashes could feed into the "vicious tide of terror and extremism" facing the Middle East.
He told the U.N. Security Council by video link Tuesday that the clashes followed "sweeping restrictions" that Israel imposed on entry to the Al-Aqsa mosque compound on Aug. 26.
He urged political, community and religious leaders to ensure that visitors and worshippers "demonstrate restraint and respect for the sanctity of the area."
