Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu warned Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday that Israel will protect its citizens from Arab violence.

Last week terrorists carried out 240 attacks against Israelis, killing two and wounding at least 23 others.

Speaking at the start of the weekly government cabinet meeting, Netanyahu called on “Abu Mazen” – the terrorist name used by Abbas among Arabic speakers – to “stop this propaganda immediately.”

The prime minister was referring to Islamic extremist propaganda, and a call by official PA media last week for a “day of rage” in Jerusalem. Both came less than 24 hours after Netanyahu met with Jordan’s King Abdullah II and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Amman. The three leaders had called for a “calming of the situation” in statements following the meeting.

“We will use all legal means at our disposal, including new legislation, to maintain the security of our citizens and residents,” Netanyahu said on Sunday.

“Israel is also being challenged by lies being disseminate to the effecct that we intend to change the status quo on the Temple Mount – this is a gross lie,” he said. “We are being challenged by the unwillingness to recognize the right of the Jewish People to a state of its own.

“Israel is a Jewish and democratic state,” Netanyahu continued. “Democracy here finds expression in the right of every person to vote in secret elections. It finds expression in Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty, which promises full individual rights in a manner that is unprecedented anywhere in the very large region around us.

“The Jewish aspect of the state finds expression in its being the one and only national state of the Jewish People, with a flag, national anthem and the right of the Jewish People to come here. The balance between these two facets in necessary, both to balance our judicial system, which certainly recognizes the democratic aspect, and now needs to also recognize the aspect of our being the national state of the Jewish People.”

Netanyahu went on to say that the government will move ahead with the nationality law designed to create this balance. “It will yet undergo many changes and discussions, but we will make it clear that the State of Israel is the national state of the Jewish People, while providing for equal rights – and ensuring equal rights – for all its citizens,” he said.

“We will not let extremists and fanatics ignite Jerusalem,” Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Thursday night, as it appeared the capital might indeed go up in smoke.

Although the prime minister was referring to a march that began Thursday evening by right-wing protesters near the Old City with the intent to end its journey in prayer on the Temple Mount, his words undoubtedly also referred to the endless stream of rocks thrown and firebombs (Molotov cocktails) and fireworks shot at police officers and civilians by raging Arabs across the nation’s capital.

Close to a hundred Arab rioters hurled rocks and shot fireworks at Border Patrol police officers Thursday night in the northern neighborhood of Shuafat.

Israeli police used riot control equipment in an attempt to defuse the violence.

As Arab violence continued there and in eastern sections of the city, right-wing protesters started their own demonstration close to the Old City.

The group began a march early Thursday evening at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center. The site hosted a conference last week after which the guest speaker, Temple Mount activist Rabbi Yehudah Glick, was shot.

The protesters marched from the Begin Center towards the entrance to the Temple Mount, the holiest site in Judaism and the third holiest in Islam. Since 1967 the Mount has been controlled by the Islamic Waqf Authority under the watchful eyes of the Jordanian government, with the agreement of the State of Israel.

There has been a massive increase in Arab violence stemming from the site over the past few months. Clerics often incite their followers to attack Israelis and Jews during their sermons at the Al Aqsa Mosque, located on the Temple Mount, each Friday.

Violence on the Temple Mount yesterday (Wednesday, Nov. 5) prompted the second closure at the holy site in less than a week.

Recent attacks had finally led Israel’s government to close the site last weekend to everyone for the first time since 1967, enraging both Muslims and Jews alike.

The site was again closed to everyone on Wednesday after Muslims there attacked a Knesset member touring the area, having rioted and attacked visitors daily for weeks, usually from the moment the site opened in the morning hours. Also on Wednesday, a Hamas terrorist murdered a Border Patrol police captain and wounded 13 others in a horrific attack in two locations along the Light Rail line in a northern part of the city.

Despite the provocations and rising violence that prompted the closure however, the government of Jordan recalled its ambassador to Israel for “consultations” to protest Israel’s actions, rather than those of the Arab attackers.

Thus the pressure cooker has now begun to spill over to the Jewish side of the city’s population, with right wing activists matching verbal provocations against their Arab counterparts.

“The mosque will burn and the Temple will be rebuilt,” protesters chanted Thursday night as they marched from the Begin Center towards the holy Temple Mount in the Old City. The marchers said they would hold a mass prayer near the Temple Mount for Glick’s speedy recovery.

Glick is being maintained in an artificially-induced medical coma at Shaare Tzedek Medical Center due to the gravity of his condition following the assassination attempt on his life by the Islamic Jihad terrorist.

Arabs continued to clash Wednesday night with Border Patrol police officers in the northern Jerusalem neighborhood of Shuafat.

Journalists were ordered out of the danger zone and advised to move to the southern side of the checkpoint near the entrance to the neighborhood for their own safety.

Border Patrol police officers also moved closer to the edge of the neighborhood as well, as rioting Arabs continued to hurl firebombs (Molotov cocktails) and shoot fireworks into the sky and directly at police as well.

Arab violence across the city has been growing by the day, beginning with major riots breaking out at the Temple Mount on October 8.

On October 22, an Arab terrorist drove his car into a crowd of people waiting for the Jerusalem Light Rail near French Hill. A three month old baby and a woman from Ecuador were killed and numerous others were injured in that attack.

On October 29, Temple Mount Faithful organization head Rabbi Yehudah Glick was shot at point-blank range by an Islamic Jihad terrorist after speaking at an event held at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center near the Old City of Jerusalem. The terrorist asked Glick his name to be sure of his target before firing his weapon; Glick has undergone numerous surgeries and spent days fighting for his life at Shaare Tzedek Medical Center. In less than 24 hours Israeli security forces had tracked down his assassin, who opened fire at police when they surrounded the home. Muataz Ibrahim al-Hijazi was killed on October 30 in the shootout with police.

Yesterday, November 4, the Temple Mount was closed for the second time in a week by the Israeli government in response to the increasing Arab violence.

Arabs had clashed all weekend long with Israeli forces in multiple locations. The government was prompted to close the Temple Mount for the first time since 1967 the day after Glick was shot due to fears of Arab violence at the site, which is the holiest place on earth for Jews, and the third holiest site for Muslims.

Wednesday’s closure followed daily clashes in the Old City and Arab neighborhoods elsewhere in Jerusalem. Rioters attacked Israeli police with rocks and fireworks.

Earlier today another vehicular terrorist – this one a member of the Gaza-based Hamas terrorist organization – drove his van into a crowd of bystanders in two separate locations, and then got out of the vehicle and began attacking people with a crowbar. He fled when police arrived on the scene, and subsequently was shot and killed while they were in pursuit.

Jordan has recalled its ambassador from Israel for “consultations” — and to protest the closure of the Temple Mount in connection with Arab violence spreading across Jerusalem.

According to the official Jordanian Petra news agency, Amman recalled its ambassador over “the unprecedented and escalated Israeli aggressions” at the Temple Mount, and “repeated violations in the holy city.”

Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh was set to meet today (Wednesday, Nov. 5) with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Paris to discuss the situation, officials said in Amman.

Jordanian officials also told journalists they intended to file a complaint with the United Nations Security Council.

Under its peace treaty with Israel, Jordan was given custodianship of the Muslim holy sites, according to former Jordanian Prime Minister Abdelsalam al-Majali.

The retired official told i24news that he was the one who signed the 1994 peace treaty brokered by then-U.S. President Bill Clinton, together with King Hussein and former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in Washington D.C.

Any violation of the status quo would be met with a harsh response from Amman, al-Majali told the Tel Aviv-based television network.

Six masked Arab men hurled rocks at a police car near a construction site close to the Jewish community of Beitar Illit late Wednesday afternoon.

The attack followed a vicious spate of terror in Jerusalem and a horrifying terror attack in the northern part of the capital earlier in the day.

No one was physically injured in the attack near Beitar Illit, although the police vehicle was damaged. IDF troops were called to the site and immediately began searching for the attackers.

Around mid-afternoon, Arabs in northern Jerusalem’s Shuafat neighborhood hurled firebombs (Molotov cocktails) and shot fireworks at Border Patrol officers.

In a separate incident, two Arabs sprayed tear gas at Jerusalem police officers. No one was injured in either attack.

One arrest was made.

Following the escalating and extreme violence by Muslims on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, the police have restricted Muslims access to the site, in order to reduce the likelihood they will attack Jews, police and visitors on the Jewish people’s holiest site.

On Wednesday morning, 250 Arabs protested at the Lion’s Gate against the police restrictions, though not against the ongoing Arab violence and terror that caused the police to restrict their access in the first place.

The protesters on their parts said it was not fair that Muslims were restricted from praying on the Temple Mount while Jews were allowed to pray at the Kotel.

There are no known incidents of Jews throwing Molotov cocktails and cinder blocks at visitors to the Kotel.

Among the protesters were Arab MKs Jamal Zahalka, Basel Gatz and Hanin Zoabi. Ynet reports that the protesters clashed with police as they tried to get a group of Arab women onto the mount.

Terrified Jewish nursery school and kindergarten children were rushed into bomb shelters in Jerusalem’s Maaleh HaZeitim neighborhood after 10 masked Arabs attacked the Jerusalem neighborhood’s complex with Molotov cocktails, fireworks and stones on Tuesday.

The Arabs specifically targeted toddlers from a nursery “Mishpacton” who were playing outside.

The teachers rushed the children inside as the Arabs began throwing explosive and rocks at the children, an angry resident told JewishPress.com.

Two other schools also rushed their children indoors as explosives landed near the schools.
The neighborhood housing complex has 4 nursery and kindergarten schools.

The crying children were rushed into the school’s bomb shelters to protect them from the attack and the loud explosions.

The police took 7 minutes to arrive. But before responding, police asked residents if anyone was actually injured in the attack.

When they did arrive, the Arab attackers ran.

Arabs have been targeting Jews in the area, both dead and alive, quite a bit recently.

Maaleh HaZeitim is located across the street from the ancient, Jewish, Mount of Olives cemetery.

On Rosh Hashana, Arabs desecrated the Gur Hassidim section of the cemetery, destroying 40 graves.

Today at 4pm, there will be a vigil held at the cemetery.

Two weeks ago, Arabs attacked a school bus full of children.

A ttacking children seems to be their preferred method of terrorism.

Residents have been complaining about the lack of security, but to little avail.

A resident caught the tail end of the attack on video: