Palestinians seeking UN protection force in E. Jerusalem

The Palestinians want the United Nations to consider deploying a protection force in East Jerusalem to help quell violence, the Palestinian envoy to the United Nations says.

The proposal will be included in a draft resolution aimed at defusing weeks of clashes between Israel and the Palestinians that are raising fears of a third Palestinian intifada.

Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour tells reporters that the situation is “very explosive” and that the Security Council must find ways of “providing protection” to the Palestinians.

“The situation warrants providing protection for our people in the occupied territory starting in the Old City of Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque,” Mansour says.

— AFP