Palestinian cabinet criticizes Israel

The Palestinian cabinet moved its weekly meeting to Hebron on Monday in a symbolic protest against Israel's addition of a contested shrine in the volatile West Bank city to its list of national heritage sites.

Mohammed Shtayyeh, minister of Ministry of Public Works & Housing, said, "The meeting here is in solidarity with Hebron and in full condemnation of what Israel has been doing and we will continue to stand solid with our people."

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has denounced Israel's move as an "attack on the holy places", while Hamas in Gaza called for a new uprising. Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said on Monday that Israel's decision to mark the two West Bank shrines as sites of national heritage violated international law, but he also appealed for calm. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the decision was not about politics, but preserving culture. He said Israel had no intention of infringing on Muslim freedom of worship.