Riots in Jerusalem

Prime Minister Olmert has turned down demands and requests to terminate the excavating that is being done in the vicinity of the Temple Mount. The Arab population is opposed to this saying that it is desecrating the ground. Other people are saying that it is not worth it for the political and civil upheaval that is ongoing due to these actions. Many people believe that the Israeli Arabs are simply using these renovations as a reasonable outlet for their anger and fury at what they call the "Zionist invaders."
Earlier today, riots erupted within the Temple Mount area as Muslim worshippers began raining bottles, cans and other debris on the police who entered the area in full riot gear in response to the potential that existed for injury against the workers. About 150 Muslims holed themselves up inside the Al-Aqsa mosque until negotiators from Israeli police and Muslim mediators convinced them to exit, and that without incident.
The work is still to be ongoing and is the first time that excavations of this sort have been done in this area. The last time an official visit was paid to the area was from Arial Sharon in 2000. That sparked rioting and violence that continued for years. This situation is far from being resolved amongst the dwellers of Jerusalem. "We ask God to unite the Palestinians, with their rifles and tunnels, to be able to cleanse Al-Aqsa of the ... excavations," Nizar Rayan, a Hamas leader, said. It appears that groups such as Hamas are using these circumstances as fuel to incite more Muslims against the Jews and to give the international community a "reason" for their hatred to spew out again in the form of suicide bombers and other acts of terror. It remains to be seen if the Israeli government will back away from this latest incident or whether they will have the fortitude to make a plan that is fit to the task at hand and follow it through to its completion.