Netanyahu: We won’t let extremist forces disrupt the peace of Jerusalem

Extremist forces won’t be allowed to disrupt the peace of Jerusalem, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday as he issued a warning against those who attack Israel either in its capital city of Jerusalem or on the Gaza border.

“We won’t allow any violent public disturbances,” said Netanyahu as he promised to uphold freedom for worship or all religions own the city.

He spoke in the aftermath of a weekend of violent rioting at multiple flashpoint in the city, including on the Temple Mount, also known as al Haram al Sharif, and in areas of the city including the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood where four Palestinian families face eviction.

“In recent days, we have witnessed violent riots in Jerusalem under the influence of agitating factors,” Netanyahu said at a special government meeting held in honor of Jerusalem Day, which begins Sunday evening and ends late in the afternoon on Monday.

It marks the day Israel captured east Jerusalem from Jordan during the Six-Day War in 1967 and reunified the city, until then it had been split between the two countries.

“We will not allow any extremist party to disturb the peace of Jerusalem. We will uphold the rule of law and order firmly and responsibly. We will continue to maintain freedom of worship for all religions but we will not allow violent disturbances,” he said.

He also addressed Hamas violence against Israel from Gaza, stating, “I say to the terrorist organizations: Israel will respond strongly to any act of aggression from the Gaza Strip.”

Netanyahu underscored the deep connection both the Jewish religion and its people to the city of Jerusalem, which was the capital of biblical Israel.

“Jerusalem has been the capital of the Jewish people for thousands of years. Our roots in Jerusalem date back to the biblical period, and our continuous connection to Jerusalem has been maintained throughout the generations,” Netanyahu said.

“For 54 years, Jerusalem has been united under the rule of the democratic state of Israel,” Netanyahu said, adding that only under this modern Israeli sovereignty over all of the city has religious freedom been guaranteed. Past rulers of the city, did not do so, he said.

Netanyahu also pushed back against US and European calls to halt Jewish building in portions of the city over the Green Line, particularly in light of the approval granted last month to a 540 unit building project that expands the east Jerusalem Jewish neighborhood of Har Homa.

“We are also pushing back hard against the pressure not to build in Jerusalem. And unfortunately that pressures has only increased lately,” Netanyahu said.

“I also say to our best friends: Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. As every nation builds in its capital, we too have the right to build in Jerusalem. This is what we have done and this is what we will continue to do,” Netanyahu said.