The Israelis were killed on the street or buses in random attacks. This has left many Palestinians increasingly frustrated because all paths to independence appear blocked.
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Zerihoun warned Israel that the current crisis can not be resolved by security measures alone. Minister Uri Ariel (of the nationalist Jewish Home party) commented: “the same Palestinians, while shamelessly lying when they denounce an alleged change to the status quo on Temple Mount, desecrate and burn a Jewish holy site”.
In the past month, eight Israelis have been killed in attacks by Palestinians, a lot of them stabbings. The recent attacks have largely been carried out by individuals with no known ties to militant groups.
On Friday, hundreds joined protests after Muslim noon prayers, after Palestinian factions called for a “day of rage”.
Also Friday, a 20-year-old Palestinian was shot dead during clashes with Israeli forces near the Erez Crossing in Gaza, Palestinian Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qedra said.
They threw stones at soldiers, who opened fire, killing a Palestinian and wounding 27 others, Palestinian medical officials said.
Furthermore, the government granted the right for ordinary Jewish Israeli citizens with gun licenses to carry arms (not to mention that all Israeli Jews are required by law to serve in the military).
“Our decision is to pursue the intifada (uprising) and continue the resistance against the Israeli occupation”, said Ismail Haniyeh, the group’s leader in Gaza. “People are fed up”. The shrine is now under Palestinian control, only accessed by Israelis escorted by the army.
He said the arson “offends our culture and our religion and our morals”, and that the damage would be repaired.
He said tensions at the holy sites in Jerusalem, exacerbated by “reckless statements” from Palestinian and Israeli extremist elements, were the main instigator of the violence. To suffer those political attacks and then hear criticism from the secretary of state about a “massive increase in settlements” helps explain the lack of confidence Israeli officials feel in the Obama administration. However, he has also told his forces not to stop Palestinian stone-throwers heading to confrontations with Israeli troops.
Many Jews believe it to be the final resting place of the biblical Joseph, while Muslims believe that an Islamic cleric, Sheikh Yussef (Joseph) Dawiqat was buried there two centuries ago. The tomb has become a popular prayer site in recent years among a few sects of religious Jews. More importantly, the brutal force used by the Israeli police against women, the elderly and youth who keep watch inside the mosque, and the repeated police raids on the entire compound has lead to arrests, beating and even tear gas fired around and inside the mosque, which is certainly not helping to calm the situation.
A Palestinian man wearing a T-shirt with the word “press” written on it in large letters has stabbed and wounded an Israeli soldier. Troops rushed to the scene of the stabbing, near a military jeep, and administered aid to the injured soldier who was eventually taken away by ambulance. The attacker, identified as Eyad Awawdeh, lay on the ground, clutching a knife in his right hand.
Abbas has been accused of inciting the violence by calling for peaceful protests, but not condemning the violent attacks.
“Journalists are civilians, and that status should shield them from danger and allow them to gather news in unsafe environments”.
The Foreign Press Association has complained of harassment by both Israeli and Palestinian forces, including cases in which reporters were beaten and equipment smashed. The remaining were active participants in demonstrations in various parts of the West Bank or the Gaza Strip.
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“We utterly deplore this violation of press privilege and call on local Palestinian media organizations to immediately verify all media credentials to ensure there are no violations”, the statement said.
