Danon says Israel will do all it takes to preserve Temple Mount security

Israel is working to calm the situation in Jerusalem following a flare-up of violence, but it will do whatever is necessary to maintain security at a holy site, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations says.

“We will enable everybody to come and pray on the Temple Mount, but at the same time we will do whatever is necessary to maintain security,” Ambassador Danny Danon tells journalists ahead of a Security Council meeting to discuss ways to de-escalate tensions.

Egypt, France and Sweden called for the talks following heavy clashes over the weekend.

The violence came after new security measures were put in place at the Temple Mount, following an attack on July 14 that killed two Israeli police officers.

Israel installed metal detectors at entrances to the site, which includes Al-Aqsa mosque and the Dome of the Rock, in a move the Palestinians denounce as a bid by Israel to assert control.

Asked whether Israel was prepared to remove the metal detectors, Danon says: “Our goal is to calm the situation” by allowing access to the holy site, but also to “maintain security at this important place.”

The Security Council was to hear a report from UN envoy Nikolay Mladenov during a closed-door meeting.

— AFP