A steady rise in street violence, which Israeli and Palestinian leaders have sought to calm, has been fuelled by confrontations around Jerusalem’s al Aqsa mosque complex, Islam’s third holiest shrine which Jews also revere as the vestige of their two ancient temples.
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The police said that the victim of Thursday’s attack was a 25-year-old Jewish man who was in a serious condition after being stabbed in the neck near one of Jerusalem’s main thoroughfares.
In a separate incident, a Palestinian stabbed an Israeli soldier and grabbed his weapon, south of Tel Aviv.
The suspect stabbed the victims, who were lightly wounded, with a screwdriver before another soldier in the area shot him dead, police said.
Israeli soldiers detain a wounded Palestinian after infiltrated members of the Israeli forces shot at Palestinian protesters during clashes in Beit El, on the outskirts of the West Bank city of Ramallah, on October 7, 2015.
The attack is the latest in a bout of violence that began three weeks ago and has spilled over into Israel’s heartland.
Many Palestinians believe Israel is trying to expand Jewish presence at the site, a claim Israel strongly denies.
Blocking Israeli politicians from the compound would be aimed at lowering tensions and reducing the level of Palestinian violence.
Meanwhile, Palestinian protesters clashed once more with Israeli soldiers at several spots across the occupied West Bank.
The spate of “lone-wolf” stabbing attacks has alarmed authorities and unsettled Israelis, with Jerusalem’s mayor urging people with gun licenses to carry their weapons and Israeli leaders vowing to quash the violence though apparently stumped over how to do so.
More than 130 Palestinians have been wounded in demonstrations and clashes across the West Bank and east Jerusalem.
Four Israelis have been killed in stabbings by Palestinian attackers and a roadside shooting in recent days.
Tensions between Palestinians and Israelis have recently soared, in part over access to the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem’s Old City. Initial reports, corrected by police, had said he was 15. Under an arrangement administered by Islamic authorities, Jews are allowed to visit the site at certain times but not pray there.
Tension later spread to Arab neighborhoods of east Jerusalem and to the West Bank.
In a press conference with Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon on Thursday night, Mr Netayahu said: “This has been another hard day for all of us, citizens of Israel”.
The other three, including a 13-year-old teenager, were killed during the ongoing clashes in different West Bank cities which left over 600 casualties.
Palestinian witnesses told Anadolu Agency, however, that girl – who, they said, had not been holding a knife – was attacked without provocation.
According to Israeli police, the girl was shot by the settler near Old City’s al-Sbat Gate, after which she was taken to Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center. At least six Palestinians were reported wounded Thursday by rounds from low-velocity sniper rifles which security forces have been authorized to use against riot ringleaders.
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Israeli police on Thursday installed metal detectors at the gates to the Old City and elsewhere in East Jerusalem to warn of persons carrying knives or guns.
