Two Israeli teenagers stabbed in Jerusalem

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/24/two-israeli-teenagers-stabbed-jerusalem

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Two Israeli teenagers have been stabbed in Jerusalem, in the 14th incident of Palestinian violence against Israelis in the last six months, according to Haaretz newspaper.

According to Israeli police, the suspect, a 19-year old Palestinian resident of East Jerusalem, was apprehended at his home after he was found with a knife.

Tensions have been running high in and around Jerusalem since the killings of Israeli and Palestinian captives in tit-for-tat kidnappings by Palestinian militants and Jewish extremists last summer.

Saturday night’s stabbings occurred during Shavuot festival, when Jewish people traditionally stay up all night to read religious texts, and just four days after two Israeli border police officers were wounded when a Palestinian drove his car into them in the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of At-Tur. He was shot and killed by police officers.

Last week four Israelis were hurt after being hit by a car at the entrance to the settlement of Alon Shvut, in Gush Etzion, south of Jerusalem. That same week a 19-year old Israeli was lightly wounded after being stabbed near the Mishor Adumim junction in the West Bank.

Haaretz says that most of the incidents in the last six months involve what security officials call “lone-wolf” attacks by Palestinians operating alone and often spontaneously.

Last Thursday a 10-year old Palestinian boy was critically wounded in his eye after being shot by Israeli police in the Shuafat refugee camp. Youths were reportedly throwing stones at Israeli forces, who responded by firing sponge-tipped bullets, considered “non-lethal” means of dispersal by Israeli authorities.

According to Maan News, the child, Yahiya Sami al-Amudi, is at risk of losing his eye. Since April two young Palestinians have lost eyes after being shot by Israel police with sponge-tipped bullets.

Last Sunday clashes erupted in Jerusalem as around 30,000 Israelis – mostly national-religious and settler youth – marched through the Muslim quarter of the Old City as part the annual flag march, marking what Israelis deem the “unification” of the city in 1967, when Israel occupied and annexed East Jerusalem during the six-day war.