Lapid tells Blinken others stoking flames over Jerusalem, boosting tensions

Foreign Minister Yair Lapid spoke with US counterpart Antony Blinken by phone and told him that Israel will not tolerate statements that appear to support violence around Jerusalem, pressing Israel’s position as tensions with Palestinians rise amid days of rioting on the Temple Mount and in the West Bank.

Lapid told Blinken that Israel is making efforts to ensure freedom of religion for “the three Jerusalem religions,” the Foreign Ministry says, seemingly referring to Judaism, Islam and Christianity.

“The foreign minister emphasized Israel’s balanced and responsible efforts against rioting by hundreds of Muslim extremists on the Temple Mount, and about gaps in information and false reports, distributed by extremists, stoking the fire and violence instead of bringing calm,” the ministry says, without naming whom Lapid is referring to.

Israel has accused Arab leaders of boosting tensions by pushing Muslim claims on the Temple Mount and claiming Israeli attempts to break a delicate status quo there.

There is no readout of the call from the US.