Israel frees Palestinian minister

Israeli police yesterday released from custody the Palestinian minister for Jerusalem affairs after questioning him over claims he organised activities in the city in violation of Israeli rules, his lawyer said. Palestinian minister for Jerusalem affairs Fadi al-Hadami had been arrested in his east Jerusalem home early Sunday and taken for questioning, with a police spokesman saying he had been involved in unspecified “activities in Jerusalem”.

His lawyer Mohannad Jbara said the arrest was due to recent activities that have included accompanying Chile’s president during a visit to Jerusalem’s flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque complex. Jbara said Hadami was released Sunday afternoon. On Tuesday, Hadami was seen alongside Chilean President Sebastian Pinera on a tour of the holy site.

This infuriated Israel, which said the tour constituted a violation of regulations and a breach of understandings reached with Santiago for the head of state’s visit. The status of Al-Aqsa, known to Jews as the Temple Mount and located above the Western Wall, is one of the most sensitive issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.