During the same period, at least 27 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Jerusalem, according to Palestinian reports. At the same time, four Israelis were injured in stabbing attacks.
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In the third attack, two Palestinian teenagers stabbed two Israelis in the east Jerusalem settlement of Pisgat Zeev, with one attacker – a 17-year-old – killed and the other, 13, shot and seriously wounded. Hundreds of Palestinians have been wounded in such confrontations. Almost all of the stabbers were killed or wounded by Israeli security forces, whose presence on Israeli streets, particularly in Jerusalem and the West Bank, is always substantial.
While Israelis are on edge over the random nature of the current wave of attacks, many Palestinians feel hopeless because all paths to statehood and ending almost half a century of Israeli occupation appear blocked.
And on Sunday morning, an Israeli policeman was injured and a 31-year-old Palestinian woman severely burned.
Clashes broke out at Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy site over the Jewish New Year, fueled by rumors that Israel was secretly plotting to take over the spot. Located in Jerusalem’s walled Old City, it is Islam’s third holiest site and is also revered by Jews as the site of two destroyed biblical temples. According to security arrangements dating back to 1967, the site, while open to Jewish visitors at specific times, is sealed off to non-Muslim prayer.
Palestinian groups have called for a “Day of Rage” across the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem on Tuesday and the leaders of Israel’s Arab community have called for a commercial strike in their towns and villages.
Palestinians fiercely defend the site as both a religious and national symbol. Since then, under an agreement with Jordan, non-Muslims have been allowed to visit the hilltop compound, but not pray there.
The violence has a few things in common with the second Palestinian uprising.
Still, there are key differences. He called on President Mahmoud Abbas, who heads the Palestinian Authority, to condemn the violence.
During the previous intifada, organized Palestinian militant groups were behind much of the violence, often with tacit support from their leaders.
Security forces have struggled to stop the stabbings, mostly committed by young Palestinians believed to be acting on their own.
A knife concealed in a bag or a shirt has become the weapon of choice and symbol of the Palestinian conflict with Israel, with 19 stabbings targeting Jews since October 3. The older teen was shot dead by police when fleeing the scene of the terror attack, while his cousin was struck by a vehicle and seriously injured.
“A knife attack is not primarily meant to kill but to spread fear and it achieves that goal”, he added.
UNRWA condemned the killings and injuries of Palestinian refugees such as the “tragic” case on October 5 that killed 13-year-old Abdul Rahman, who used to study in the ninth grade an UNRWA school, “He was shot dead by Israeli Forces in Bethlehem’s Aida refugee camp”, the statement said.
The official said the delegation from the “Quartet” of Mideast mediators had put off Wednesday’s planned meeting at Israel’s request.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Monday that Israel would not bow to “knife terror” while four stabbings in Jerusalem gave no sign of Palestinian unrest slowing.
Netanyahu is under heavy pressure from the public, and hard-liners in his coalition, to take even tougher action.
Israeli police closed the entrance to Jerusalem after the attack.
Yet a severe crackdown risks triggering even more violence and worldwide condemnation.
Abbas is also interested in restoring quiet. Furthermore, it is now highly unlikely that Netanyahu will be negotiating a two-state solution with Abbas in the near future because it would be seen as rewarding terrorism by granting statehood to those who take up arms against innocent civilians.
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A video filmed in Hebron shows 65-year old Ziad Abu Khalil confronting Israeli soldiers, shouting that they should be ashamed of themselves for shooting children.
