Israeli FM accuses Hamas of orchestrating Jerusalem violence

By ILAN BEN ZION
Associated Press

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s foreign minister has accused the Hamas militant group of orchestrating recent unrest at Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy site. Yair Lapid also rejected criticism that Israeli police used heavy-handed tactics to quell the violence. Lapid spoke following days of clashes between Israeli police and Palestinians at the contested holy site, which is revered by Jews and Muslims. The confrontations have come at a time of heightened tensions following a string of deadly attacks inside Israel, arrest raids in the occupied West Bank and rocket attacks into Israel launched from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. It is the worst violence to shake the region since an 11-day war last year.