France, Aug. 5 -- Speaking at the meeting, Safadi said Israel was entrenching its illegal occupation of East Jerusalem by expanding settlements, annexing land, confiscating property and imposing restrictions designed to isolate the city from the rest of the occupied Palestinian territory.

He accused Israeli authorities of "violating the sanctity of Islamic and Christian holy places and curbing freedom of worship for both communities".

Quoted by the Jordan Times, he said: "Christian clergy are suffering from the savagery of extremism, and churches are confronting attempts to seize their assets and lands through illegal legislation enacted by Israel."

He added that such moves flouted international law, which denies an occupying power sov...