Renewed Clashes Break out Across East Jerusalem Neighborhoods

Renewed clashes broke out between Israeli forces and residents of East Jerusalem neighborhoods on Friday evening where two were detained.

Clashes broke out in Shufat refugee camp, Issawiya, al-Tur, and Jabal al-Mukkaber. Two teenagers were detained in al-Tur during the clashes.

A Fatah spokesman in Shufat Refugee Camp, Thaer Fasfous, said that Israeli forces tried to raid the condolence tent of Wisam Jamal Faraj, who was killed by Israeli forces on Thursday during clashes.

Faraj was one of eight Palestinians to be killed by live ammunition during clashes with Israeli forces since Oct. 1.

Fasfous said that Israeli forces fired tear gas at the condolence tent but were stopped by youth in the refugee camp from entering. He added that clashes are ongoing around the checkpoint at the entrance of the camp.

An Israeli police spokesperson did not immediately respond for comment.

Occupied East Jerusalem was put under heavy security restrictions by Israeli authorities Friday as attacks continued throughout Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.

Friday morning a Palestinian suspect was shot and killed in the illegal settlement of Kiryat Arba after stabbing an Israeli border police officer, hours before a Palestinian woman was shot and injured after an alleged stabbing attempt in Afula.

Video footage of the incident shows that the woman posed no threat when she was shot.

Six Palestinians were shot and killed by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip during demonstrations in support of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

All Palestinians under 45 years of age were banned from entering the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Friday. Sheikh Azzam al-Khatib, director of the Jerusalem Endowment and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs, told Ma’an that only 6,000 worshipers were able to enter the holy site, down significantly from the average 25,000-30,000 who regularly come on Fridays.

Ongoing restrictions on Palestinians around occupied East Jerusalem have been imposed after two Israelis were killed in the Old City on Oct 3. and several stabbing attacks followed.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held an emergency press conference on Thursday night in response to the wave of attacks, where he vowed to take action against “inciters and attackers.”

The PM referred to the stabbings across the area a “result of wild and mendacious incitement by Hamas, the Palestinian Authority, several countries in the region and – no less and frequently much more – the Islamic Movement in Israel.”

Palestinian leadership, meanwhile, has over the past week blamed the ongoing Israeli military occupation as the root cause for recent violence.

Over ten stabbing attacks have been carried out by Palestinians over the past two days resulting in injuries, and an Israeli stabbed and injured four Palestinians in Dimona Friday morning.

Israeli media reported that hundreds of right-wing Israelis flooded the streets of Jerusalem Thursday night calling for “Death to Arabs,” where four were arrested.

Israeli settlers in the West Bank meanwhile have continued attacks on Palestinians and their property throughout the occupied territory.

(Ma’an)

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