Arab League to convene, says Israel ‘playing with fire’

CAIRO (Reuters) – The Arab League has warned that Israel is “playing with fire” over the “red line” of Jerusalem and that its foreign ministers will hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday over Israeli-Palestinian violence, according to statements on Sunday.

Israel sent extra troops into the West Bank on Saturday after violence erupted over Israel’s installation of metal detectors at entry points to the Temple Mount compound in Jerusalem’s walled Old City.

A Palestinian attacker stabbed to death three Israelis on Friday. Hours earlier, three Palestinians were killed in violent demonstrations against the new security measures. In Jerusalem on Saturday, Israeli police used riot gear to disperse dozens of Palestinians who threw stones and bottles at them.

“Jerusalem is a red line that Muslims and Arabs cannot allow to be crossed... and what is happening today is an attempt to impose a new reality on the holy city,” Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said in a statement.

“The Israeli government is playing with fire and risking a major crisis with the Arab and Islamic world.”

Arab League foreign ministers will hold emergency talks in Cairo on Wednesday, the group said in a statement.

The United Nations Security Council plans to meet on Monday to discuss the bloodiest spate of Israeli-Palestinian violence in years. Sweden, Egypt and France requested the meeting to urgently discuss de-escalation in Jerusalem.

Israeli military commanders have warned violence may increase.