The Jerusalem Magistrates Court has extended the detention of four Israelis arrested on charges of illegally entering the West Bank town of Jericho over the weekend and praying at a Palestinian restaurant.
Six other Israelis involved in the incident were released Sunday on bail of some $300 each.
Posing as French tourists, the 10 Israelis entered the self-rule area, which has been declared off-limits to Israeli citizens since the outbreak of Israeli- Palestinian violence in late September.
The group of Israelis intended to worship at the ancient Jericho synagogue, reports said. But finding it locked and closed, they went to a nearby restaurant, where they began to pray.
The restaurant manager called the Palestinian police, who summoned the Israeli security forces.
The four in custody are thought to have organized the group. The judge said their actions could have sparked a disaster.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
