Of course, a holy war against Israelis specifically, and Jews in general, has been a core tenet of Islam since Jews rejected Mohammed in the seventh century, and animates the foundational charters of the PA and Hamas as part of a theological responsibility devout Muslims feel to purify the world through the extirpation of the rapacious, thieving Jews.
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The State Department has taken criticism in recent days for suggesting Israeli settlement activity is fueling the violence, for describing an Israeli stabbing attack as terrorism, and for suggesting the Israelis may be using “excessive” force. Riots and protests began immediately, with accusations against Israel coming from throughout the Arab world for its “scheme” and treachery in digging under and threatening to destroy the Al Aqsa Mosque itself.
In one area, men passing through a checkpoint Friday said they lined up and were ordered by troops to lift their hands and shirts to show they were unarmed before being allowed to pass.
Israeli commentator Ben Caspit wrote in the Maariv daily said that Abbas’ “lie makes us despair”. “Those talks, which Secretary Kerry put an enormous effort in, and before that a number of our envoys and Secretary Clinton put enormous effort in, have stalled, and I think it’s gonna be up to the parties, and we stand ready to assist to see if they can restart a more constructive relationship”, he said. There is no difference in the amount you should ready yourself.
Israeli forces should protect the country’s citizens against attacks by Palestinians, but the main issue in the conflict is “incitement”, former Israeli defense official Danny Danon told Newsmax TV on Thursday. On Thursday, the military said it would deploy 300 soldiers in the streets of Jerusalem to help police maintain order.
The boy, who was run over by an Israeli vehicle after involvement in the stabbing of an Israeli boy, has become the center of heated, high-level name-calling between the Israeli and Palestinian leaders – reflecting the abyss between them after a month-long spike in deadly violence.
Two Palestinian youths, ages 13 and 11, were killed near the Gaza border fence in renewed clashes there. What Kerry meant, the president said, is that the current atmosphere among Israelis and Palestinians “creates the potential for more misunderstanding and triggers, and that’s something that has been true now for decades”.
On Monday, Ahmed and his 15-year-old cousin Hassan stabbed and seriously wounded two Israelis, including a 13-year-old boy, in Jerusalem. One of the Palestinian attackers was killed after rushing at officers with a knife.
Two Palestinian women pray in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Wadi Joz near Jerusalem’s Old City during Friday prayers, October 16, 2015.
Seven Israelis have been killed and dozens wounded. Several other Israelis were injured in the bus attack.
He also dismissed the notion of settlements as “a direct causation” of the spate of Palestinian terror attacks.
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A Palestinian was killed in clashes in the West Bank. The Palestinian dead include 10 knife-wielding assailants, police said, as well as children and protesters shot in violent demonstrations.
