Olmert comments on disputed construction at holy site

(11 Feb 2007) 1. Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni walking in for Cabinet meeting 2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Shimon Peres, Israeli Deputy Prime Minister "The government is going to call upon the Palestinians to continue their efforts and reach an agreement which is based on the roadmap. The roadmap is the really accepted document by all parties, and we cannot change it every Sunday and Monday, and we do hope they will continue to make an effort to reach it." 3. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert arriving for meeting 4. Pan of ministers seated around table 5. SOUNDBITE: (Hebrew) Ehud Olmert, Israeli Prime Minister: "We must note that all of these actions are being taken absolutely outside the Temple Mount. This is a dangerous structure that must be renovated, and this is being done in an area that is totally and completely under Israeli responsibility and day-to-day administration and under our full sovereignty. There is no religious matter here, and no harm to religious sentiments, and no reason not to do these actions. All the relevant people involved were informed ahead of time of these renovations. It's a shame that there are people with ulterior motives in the international Arab world who are trying to use this matter to fan the flames of hostility and hatred, and of course it's a shame that there are people in the Islamic arena in Israel, mostly the northern Islamic Movement, who are systematically involved in fanning the flames of hatred." 6. Mid of meeting 7. SOUNDBITE: (Hebrew) Ehud Olmert, Israeli Prime Minister "We support all the quartet demands and we expect any Palestinian government to abide by these demands: recognising Israel, halting violence and fully accepting all the agreements signed between israel and the Palestinian Authority." 8. Mid of meeting STORYLINE: Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Sunday that construction work being carried out at a disputed holy site in Jerusalem, meant "no harm to religious sentiments" despite objections from the Muslim world. Work began on a new ramp leading towards a complex known as the Al-Aqsa mosque according to Islamic law, but which is also referred to as the Temple Mount. It stands in disputed territory that has been governed as part of Israel since it was annexed in 1967 while the Palestinians claim it as part of a future Palestinian state. Although it is the third holiest site for Muslims, who believe it is where the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven, it is also Judaism's holiest site, venerated as the location of two biblical temples. Speaking ahead of a weekly Cabinet meeting on Sunday, Olmert slammed "people with ulterior motives in the international Arab world" for using the Israeli work as a pretext "to fan the flames of hostility and hatred." The existing ramp, Olmert said, "is a dangerous structure that must be renovated." He added that the work was being done, "in an area that is totally and completely under Israeli responsibility and day-to-day administration, and under our full sovereignty." The decision to renovate the site prompted two days of violent Palestinian protest, including a rock-throwing attack on a busload of Canadian tourists. Olmert also said on Sunday that the emerging Palestinian Cabinet must abide by international demands to recognise Israel, renounce violence and accept past peace agreements with the Jewish state. "We expect any Palestinian government to abide by these demands: recognising Israel, halting violence and fully accepting all the agreements signed between israel and the Palestinian Authority," Olmert said. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...