The hikers had gone to Mount Ebal to look out over the Joseph's Tomb holy site in the valley below, which was abandoned by the Barak government nearly two weeks ago and has now been transformed by the PA into a Muslim mosque. Israeli police are again curtailing the number of Muslims allowed into Jerusalem for Friday prayers on the tense Temple Mount. The current round of conflict began at the holy site three weeks ago. Forces have also been beefed up in Bethlehem and Hebron, where more clashes took place on Thursday. Israeli forces remain on high alert to prevent threatened terrorist attacks inside Israel.
Israeli officials admit that the ongoing crisis is severely damaging the important tourist industry.
Many hotels are closing off floors and dismissing staff as the number of international visitors continues to fall. Israeli tour companies continue to point out that the violence is mostly taking place in islolated and well-known places, and is therefore easy to avoid. They say an American travel advisory and sensational media coverage is the main reason for the sharp tourism drop, which has come during one of the busiest periods in the calander year. Meeting for the first time since 1996, Arab leaders are expected to slam Israel for the current crisis and fully support Palestinian demands for sovereignty over the eastern half of Jerusalem. The Arab summit meeting comes after the UN human right commission in Geneva voted 19 to 16 on Thursday to condemn Israel for the violent unrest.