Israel Matzav

Kerry admits al-Aqsa threats a lie but won't say 'Palestinians' are trying to change status quo

US Secretary of State John Kerry has admitted that 'Palestinian' claims of a threat to the al-Aqsa mosque, which are fueling the current violence, are a lie.

After more than a week of studied neutrality about the surge of terrorism against Israel, Secretary of State John Kerry finally said something useful to the cause of restoring calm. Though he and other administration officials have at times blamed the Israelis for provoking the spate of bloody terror attacks by building homes or by shooting terrorists, Kerry got to the core of the problem when he noted that the alleged threats to the al-Aqsa mosque are not real. By noting that Israel was opposed to changing the status quo on the Temple Mount, Kerry implicitly backed the Netanyahu government’s assertion that the violence was the result of incitement by Palestinian leaders who have circulated that false charge.

But what Kerry won't do is to take the next step and admit that the 'Palestinians' are trying to change the status quo:

But the notion that what Palestinians want on the Temple Mount or anywhere else is the status quo is a misnomer. As has been the case with each stage of fighting during the recent history of the region, both the Palestinians and much of the American foreign policy establishment hopes the growing pile of corpses will serve to increase the pressure on Israel to give up more territory.

Indeed. 

Labels: al-Aqsa mosque, John Kerry, Palestinian lies, Palestinians, Temple Mount

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:40 PM