Jerusalem – Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has rejected criticism of the decision to declare the Tomb of the Patriarchs and Rachel’s Tomb national heritage site, saying that the ancestors of the Jewish people were buried in the two tombs, and these locations deserve renovation and preservation.

However, Palestinian Authority leader Mahmud Abbas described Israel’s decision as “a dangerous provocation” and said that it threatened to lead to a holy war, despite the fact that the accords signed between the Palestinian Authority and Israel on Sept. 28, 1995 allowed full access to all religions to all holy places.

A general strike was declared yesterday in the city of Hebron for the second consecutive day. Shops, government offices, schools and universities closed their gates in protest over the decision. The strike turned into a series of violent incidents between the Israeli Defense Forces and the Palestinians, reminiscent of sights from the almost-forgotten Intifada.

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