The al-Aqsa mosque is seen in the background as a Palestinian youth gestures in the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Ras al-Amud October 7, 2009. (Ammar Awad)

The week five-day siege on Al Aqsa Mosque Compound was finally lifted on October 9 after pressure from Jordan and reportedly, from the United States, was placed on Israel, although tensions remain high. Since October 4, when a group of Jewish extremists tried to break into Al Aqsa and were warded off by Palestinian protestors, Israeli police and border guards have cordoned off the Old City in its entirety, especially around the compound. Men over 50 were not allowed to pray in the mosque and police were constantly questioning people going in and out of the Old City, including children on their way to school.

An estimated 100 men holed themselves up inside the Aqsa Mosque to protect it from any intruders. After failing to force them to leave, Israeli police first threatened to arrest them and then cut off all food supplies to inside the compound. Clashes broke out on October 4 between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police and soldiers in which several Palestinians were injured and arrested. A number of Israeli police were also said to have been injured by stones.

On October 6, Israeli police arrested Islamic Movement head, Sheikh Raed Salah for "incitement". While he was later released, Salah has been banned from Jerusalem for 30 days.

After days of clashes and protests in the Palestinian territories and Arab countries – Jordan in particular – Israeli authorities decided to lift the siege rather than further strain tensions with the neighbor kingdom. Still, on October 10, a group of extremist Jews tried to break in again, but were stopped by Israeli police and Palestinian protestors.

In an interview in the Israeli daily Haaretz on October 9, Jordanian King Abdullah II warned that with the current situation, Israelis and Palestinians were "sliding back into the darkness."

He also said Jerusalem was a "tinderbox" warning that the ongoing clashes would only escalate if not ended.

The king was apparently concerned, not only with Jerusalem but with the situation on his home turf. On Friday, thousands of Jordanians in Amman and Zarqa demonstrated against Israeli measures at Al Aqsa. In the capital, the protestors marched to the Prime Minister's office, chanting slogans urging their government to sever diplomatic ties with Israel and expel its ambassador.

In the afternoon, the police barricades were removed and the doors to Al Aqsa were opened although a large Israeli military presence remained in the city given that the Jewish holiday of Sukkot has one more day before ending. Over 100 men remained inside the Aqsa Mosque as a precaution until Sukkot ends.

The clash over Al Aqsa is perfect testimony to the difficult task of achieving peace US President Barack Obama says he wants to accomplish and one that the Nobel Prize officials believe he is capable of. On October 9, Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, much to his own surprise he says and something which has "humbled" him.

In a speech from the White House, Obama said he remained committed to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"We must all do our part to resolve those conflicts that have caused so much pain and hardship over so many years," he said. "And that effort must include an unwavering commitment that finally realizes the rights of all Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security in nations of their own."

Palestinians and Israelis have mixed feelings towards Obama's Nobel honor. "We hope that he will be able to achieve peace in the Middle East and achieve Israeli withdrawal to the 1967 border and establish an independent state on 1967 borders with Jerusalem as its capital," said chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat.

Israeli officials also expressed mixed emotions. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lauded Obama in his message. "You have already inspired so many people around the world, and I know that this award also expresses the hope that your Presidency will usher in a new era of peace and reconciliation." Others, however were not as enthusiastic. "I'm a little surprised at the choice,' said former Israeli UN Ambassador Dan Gillerman. "I think that at this time he has done very little, at least from the point of view of results," he said, calling the choice "somewhat premature."

He is probably right, given the indications on the ground. US Middle East envoy George Mitchell wrapped up yet another visit to the region on October 10, again with no tangible results. On October 9, Mitchell met with both Netanyahu and President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah at which point he said peace efforts would continue but "at a much lower level." Mitchell also said he had extended an invitation to the two sides to come to Washington to continue discussions.

Hopefully, by that time, Palestinians would have gotten their own house in order. It is still not clear whether they will finally put their differences aside for the sake of national unity, but that is the goal Egypt is hoping for before the end of this month.

On October 9, Palestinian government sources announced that President Abbas had official received an invitation to sign a conciliation agreement with Hamas in Cairo on October 25. Hamas, while it initially said it would travel to Cairo, is still mulling over the decision whether to go or not.

The latest bump in the road towards unity is the PA's recent involvement in the deferral of the Goldstone Report discussion in the UN Human Rights Council. Hamas has called for Abbas to step down in light the fiasco, which it called "shameful."

Hamas is not the only party angry with the presidency. Hundreds of Palestinians took to the streets in protest of the PA's deferral of the report, which was scheduled to be discussed earlier this month in the HRC. A coalition of 40 Palestinian institutions and NGOs dealing with Palestinian affairs in Europe also demanded that President Abbas resign in light of the fiasco. On October 9, the PFLP called for stripping Abbas of his diplomatic immunity so as to question him about his involvement, saying those responsible should be held accountable. The PLO, under Abbas, has formed an "investigation committee" into why the decision was made in Geneva and who was responsible, although most are pointing fingers at the president himself.

On October 7, the Security Council rejected a Libyan request to discuss the report there, saying it would not hold an emergency session. Now, the PLO is pushing for a date earlier than its March session to discuss the Goldstone report, saying Israel's actions in Jerusalem have made it more urgent.

Meanwhile, Israeli authorities began with the second phase of construction of a settlement in Jabbal Al Mukkaber in Jerusalem. According to the Israeli movement, Peace Now, settlement construction is now underway for 800 new housing units in the West Bank.

In the Ramallah-area village of Deir Ammar, Jewish settlers uprooted 250 olive trees according to Palestinian media sources on October 6.

Finally, 70 Palestinian laborers were arrested by Israeli police in the Wadi Ara region on October 4 after trying to be smuggled into Israel to find work. The 70 men were packed into a refrigerator truck and arrested after the truck was stopped at a checkpoint.

MIFTA