Israel arrests dozens Palestinians for "terrorism" in East Jerusalem

Israel's security service said on Monday that "dozens" of Palestinians in east Jerusalem had been arrested for being involved in violence against policemen and Jewish settlers.

Five suspects, all of whom are members of the leading Palestinian political party Fatah were indicted on Monday.

The suspects, aged 21 to 23 and residents of the east Jerusalem neighborhood of A-Tur, were part of "a terror cell" which was involved in violent clashes with the police and Jewish settlers in east Jerusalem, including hurling stones, flares and Molotov cocktails at policemen and Jewish settlers, according to the security service, the Shin Bet.

"The investigation found that dozens of activists have been involved in committing acts of violence over the past year," the Shin Bet said. "The network operated in an orderly manner, aiming to damage property, Jewish residents and security forces."

Israel annexed east Jerusalem after the 1967 Mideast War, in a move which has never been recognized internationally.

In recent months, Jerusalem has seen a surge of violence amid simmering tensions between Jews and Arabs.

Much of the violence has been stoked by Israeli hardliners seeking to cancel a long-standing ban on their praying in the Al-Aqsa compound. The place is the holiest site for Jews, who call it the Temple Mount, and also the third-holiest site for Muslims, who call it Haram al-Sharif, or "Noble Sanctuary." Endit