An Israeli police spokesman said an officer was lightly wounded in the alleged stabbing attack.
Advertisement
Palestinian street attacks that began almost a year ago had largely waned in recent months, but a series of assaults since Friday have raised alarm in Israel of a new wave of bloodshed in the run-up to the Jewish New Year holiday next month.
The resurgence of violence started on Friday, when Israeli police shot and killed a Jordanian citizen after he allegedly tried to stab police officers outside East Jerusalem’s Old City, according to the police.
However, Swedish Prime Minister Stefen Lofven caused an outcry in Israel by stating that the stabbing attacks carried out by Palestinians were not terrorist attacks.
He then stabbed a 38-year-old female officer – also in the neck – injuring her critically. The attackers were reported to have been subdued at the scene of the attack.
The attacks, including a vehicle ramming, four stabbings, and rock and bottle throwing, as well as several that were thwarted, came after a seeming downturn in the violence against Israelis that began with the Rosh Hashanah holiday past year.
There have been seven such incidents since Friday, coming after Palestinians wrapped up Eid al-Adha celebrations and as Israel tightened security ahead of Jewish high holidays in October.
Herod’s Gate in Jerusalem’s Old City has been cordoned off by security forces following a stabbing attack that left two policemen injured, September 19, 2016.
Senior Palestinian official Hanan Ashrawi condemned the Israeli actions.
One of the Palestinians was killed instantly by regime forces and the other died of injuries he received in the shooting.
Al Jazeera’s Imran Khan, reporting from Jerusalem, said the man had come in through the Allenby bridge crossing from Jordan on Thursday, according to Israeli police.
Rights groups have repeatedly denounced what they have termed Israeli forces’ “shoot-to-kill” policy against Palestinians who did not constitute a threat at the time of their death or who could have been subdued in a non-lethal manner.
Gaza: Along with a Jordanian, three Palestinians have been shot and killed by Israeli forces in separate areas across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem in less than 24 hours.
The Israeli military deployed hundreds of soldiers over the weekend to reinforce the West Bank after a series of knife and car-ramming attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians.
Advertisement
Israel blames the deadly violence on incitement by Palestinian political and religious leaders.
