JERUSALEM –  The Israeli government has banned an Islamist party, saying it’s been inciting violence among Israeli Arabs over the past two months.

The government on Tuesday declared the Northern Branch of the Islamic Movement of Israel illegal, saying its activists could be subject to arrest if they violate the ban.

The party, which provides religious and educational services for Israeli Arabs, routinely accuses Israel of trying to take over a sensitive holy site in Jerusalem, a charge Israel denies.

The site is at the heart of the current round of violence, which erupted in mid-September and spread to the West Bank, Israeli cities and the Gaza border.

Israel says the violence is the result of incitement. The Palestinians say it stems from frustration over nearly half a century of Israeli occupation.