Israeli Representative to the UN Danny Danon expressed on Friday the Israeli refusal to any international presence in Al-Aqsa Mosque, claiming this would “violate decades-old status quo,” Alkhaleejonline.com reported.
Speaking to journalists outside the main hall of the UN Security Council in New York, Danon said, “What is sought by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is not a surprise for us.”
He declared, “Throughout history, every Palestinian leader wanted to avoid taking hard decisions, resorted to incitement, unreal accusations and lies regarding the Temple Mount [Al-Aqsa Mosque].”
Danon added, “I want to tell the international community and the [UN] Security Council – if you are serious regarding the reinforcement of peace and you are committed to coexistence in our region, you have to issue a statement clearly refusing incitement and supporting direct talks.”
Danon noted that the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said that he is ready to meet the Palestinian leadership and for immediate resumption of talks, but “without preconditions.”
The current spate of violence in Israel and the Occupied Territories have so far led to the deaths of 42 Palestinians.
