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Why Now?

Robert talks to two people in Israel about the timing of the demonstrations. Khalil Shikasi, a professor of political science at the Najah University in Nablus. He says that the Palestinians fear that the new opening of a tunnel into the Muslim quarter of Jerusalem is part of an effort to de-Islamize the city so it can never be the capital of Palestine. Ze'ev Chafets, a columnist for the Jerusalem Report, says that the opening of the tunnel by the government of Benjamin Netanyahu was thoughtless and provocative. In addition, he says, the TV images of Palestinian police firing on Israeli soldiers are frightening to the Israeli public.

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