Netanyahu Says Israel Rejects Pressure to not integrate Jerusalem

Israel “firmly rejects” pressure to not integrate Jerusalem, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday following days of unrest and spreading international condemnation of planned evictions of Palestinians from homes within the city claimed by Jewish settlers.

Tensions over Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem have stoked daily confrontations. Washington said Saturday it had been “deeply concerned” and wanted “authorities to approach the residents … pityingly and respect”.

East Jerusalem is among territories that Palestinians search for a future state. U.S.-sponsored statehood negotiations with Israel stalled in 2014. Israel deems of all Jerusalem its capital – a standing not recognized abroad.

“We firmly reject the pressure to not integrate Jerusalem. To my regret, this pressure has been increasing lately ,” Netanyahu said during a televised address before national commemorations of the Israeli capture of East Jerusalem during a 1967 war.

“I say also to the simplest of our friends: Jerusalem is Israel’s capital and even as every nation builds in its capital and builds up its capital, we even have the proper to create in Jerusalem and to create up Jerusalem. that’s what we’ve done which is what we’ll still do,” Netanyahu said.

East Jerusalem tensions have spilled over into clashes between Israeli police and Palestinians around Al-Aqsa, Islam’s third-holiest mosque, at the peak of the Ramadan fast month.

On Saturday night, Islam’s holy night of Laylat al-Qadr, Palestinian youth threw stones, lit fires, and tore down police barricades within the streets resulting in the walled Old City gates as officers on horseback and in riot gear used stun grenades and water cannons to repel them.

Netanyahu said Israel allows freedom of worship but “we won’t allow any extremist element to disturb the peace in Jerusalem … we’ll not allow violent unrest.”

Pope Francis involved an end to violence in Jerusalem, saying he was following events there concernedly and alluring parties to hunt solutions so as to respect the multicultural identity of the Celestial City .

“Violence breeds violence, stop clashes,” the pope told pilgrims who gathered in St. Peter’s Square in Rome on Sunday.