’Israel’ Sets up East al-Quds Checkpoints after Violence Spikes

Local Editor

"Israeli" forces set up checkpoints in Palestinian neighborhoods of annexed east al-Quds [Jerusalem] on Wednesday as it struggled to stop a wave of heroic operations that had raised fears of a full-scale uprising.

With "Israeli" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu under immense pressure to halt the violence, police said 300 "Israeli" soldiers were joining their patrols.

A wave of mainly stabbing operations by Palestinians spread fear in the "Israeli"-occupied Palestinian territories, while a gun-and-knife attack on a bus on Tuesday killed two people and led to outrage among "Israeli" settlers.

A third "Israeli" was killed in al-Quds on Tuesday when a Palestinian rammed his car into settlers then exited with a knife, making it the city's bloodiest day in the current wave of unrest.

The move to install checkpoints followed a decision by Netanyahu's security cabinet overnight authorizing police to seal off or impose a curfew on parts of al-Quds.

Netanyahu faced major criticism over attacks as well as violent Palestinian protests in the besieged West Bank and Gaza Strip.

The upsurge in violence that began on October 1 led some to warn of the risk of a third Palestinian intifada, or uprising.

Seven "Israelis" had been killed and dozens wounded in the oerations.

According to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, 29 Palestinians had been killed, including alleged attackers, some of them teenagers. Hundreds of Palestinians had been wounded in clashes with "Israeli" security forces.

The number and extent of the checkpoints in east al-Quds were not yet clear and appeared limited Wednesday.

In the neighborhood of Jabel Mukaber, where the three Palestinians of Tuesday's operations lived, an AFP journalist saw four armed police checking cars leaving the area.

"This is normal for us," one Palestinian man in his mid-20s said with a wry smile after being stopped for about five minutes while officers searched his car and checked his ID.

Four other checkpoints could be seen in other areas, but cars were mainly being waved through.

Such checkpoints were used during past spikes in violence, much to the anger of Palestinian residents who consider it collective punishment.

Meanwhile on the same bus route hit by Tuesday's operation, a settler who looked to be in his 20s and who declined to give his name displayed a container of pepper spray in his pocket.

"I'm very worried," he said as he traveled near the scene, adding that he had to take the bus to work.

The rising tide of violence, which had seen more than 20 stabbing attacks in addition to protests, has raised fears of a full-scale third Palestinian intifada, or uprising.

In the intifadas of 1987-1993 and 2000-2005, hundreds of people were killed.

The unrest has led to international calls for calm, and US Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday condemned the violence in al-Quds.

"Naturally, we mourn the loss of any life, no matter who it is, but this violence and any incitement to violence has got to stop," he said.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged "Israel" to carry out a review of whether its security forces are resorting to excessive force in clashes with Palestinians.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team