Police makes arrests, disperses protests in bid to foil J'lem PA festival

Police prevented several gatherings in east Jerusalem from materializing on Saturday afternoon, in an effort to stifle the Palestinian Authority's intention of announcing Jerusalem a cultural capital of the Arabs, Israel Radio reported. On the Temple Mount in the Old City, police officers prevented groups of students from entering the Aksa Mosque waving PLO flags. Officers also detained for questioning three university employees in Al Kuds University who were intending to distribute shirts commemorating the event. On Friday, Public Security Minister Avi Dichter signed several edicts giving police great license in stifling the planned events.