Palestinians, many of them acting alone and with rudimentary weapons, have killed at least 33 Israelis and two visiting Americans in attacks that have waned in recent months.
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In Jerusalem, the soldiers killed a Jordanian man, identified as Sa’id Amro, 28, in occupied East Jerusalem.
It was the fifth incident of Palestinians attacking Israeli security forces and civilians since Friday after a three-week lull in a almost year-long wave of violence. The man had both a Jordanian and a Palestinian ID on him, police said. Friday saw several attacks, beginning with an apparent dual Palestinian/Jordanian national charging at police officers with knives in each hand and being shot and killed before he could inflict harm.
Amro was one of three people killed by Israeli forces on Friday.
“A terrorist carried out a stabbing attack in Efrat and wounded an officer”, the Israeli army’s Twitter account said.
PLO Executive Committee Member Dr. Hanan Ashrawi strongly condemned the killings Saturday morning, calling Israeli actions “extra-judicial killings”.
The attack at 6 a.m. on Sunday, followed five other attacks on Friday and Saturday that left three Arab assailants dead.
“Israel is flagrantly employing a systematic and wilful policy of summary executions against the Palestinian people; such provocative acts are in direct violation of worldwide law and conventions”, she said on Saturday. Israeli and Palestinian rights groups say the military has at times used excessive force to subdue attackers.
Many analysts say Palestinian frustration with the Israeli occupation and settlement-building in the West Bank, the complete lack of progress in peace efforts and their own fractured leadership have fed the unrest.
The Israel Defense Forces moved an additional infantry battalion into the Hebron area of the West Bank following the weekend attacks, including one outside of Hebron.
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“Despite warnings by the global community and the region, leaders on both sides have failed to take the hard steps needed for peace”, Mr Ban said on Friday.
