Al Aqsa Mosque: Can Israel, Jordan prevent Jerusalem from catching fire?

(The Christian Science Monitor) The images on social media this week made Jerusalem’s Old City look like a conflict zone, with black smoke rising above the Al Aqsa Mosque and the flash of firecrackers exploding inside.

Several days of violence between Israeli police and Palestinian activists on a plaza holy to Muslims and Jews have triggered a new political and diplomatic crisis for Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and neighboring Jordan.         

With the start this week of the month-long string of holidays marking the Jewish New Year, Israeli right-wing activists have renewed their push for more access and prayer rights on the plaza—known as the Temple Mount to Jews and the Noble Sanctuary to Muslims. Palestinian activists are rallying to “defend” the mosque, alleging a violation of the decades-long religious balance in the Old City referred to simply as the “status quo.” But Israeli police say they are fomenting the clashes by stockpiling rocks, barricades, and explosives inside the mosque, echoing months of clashes that destabilized Jerusalem and caused 11 deaths one year ago.