Abbas calls for protection of Jerusalem holy sites

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has stressed the need to protect Jerusalem's Islamic and Christian holy sites. Speaking on the anniversary of an attempted arson of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Abbas said the fire, which was set by an Australian in 1969, was "the first (attack) in a series that aimed to demolish the Al-Aqsa Mosque to make way to build the (third) temple." The president's office said in a statement that Israeli excavation work in Jerusalem and tunnels underneath the holy site would not undermine the fact that the city has an Arab identity, Palestine's Ma'an news agency reported today. It said there would be no peace and stability without an end to the occupation and settlements in Jerusalem.