Palestinians clash with Israeli security

JERUSALEM — Palestinians in east Jerusalem and the West Bank lobbed rocks today at Israeli security forces, set garbage bins and tires ablaze and torched an Israeli flag in a new outbreak of violence over contested Jerusalem building plans and unsubstantiated rumors about threats to the city’s holiest shrine.

Israeli forces responded with tear gas and stun grenades, but no serious injuries were reported.

More than a week of violence in east Jerusalem has coincided with the worst U.S.-Israeli diplomatic row in decades, which erupted after Israel announced new plans to build 1,600 apartments in east Jerusalem during Vice President Joe Biden’s visit. The plans, which challenge Palestinian claims to the traditionally Arab eastern sector of the city, also drew condemnation from the U.N. and European Union.

Today’s clashes were most serious in the West Bank town of Hebron, where about 60 protesters faced off against Israeli soldiers. Hebron has been in ferment since last month, when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu designated a disputed shrine there a national heritage site.

There were also sporadic, low-level clashes at a small number of other points in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.

In Moscow today, the Quartet of Mideast peacemakers — the U.S., U.N., EU and Russia — reiterated their condemnation of the planned east Jerusalem construction but did not escalate their criticism of Israel.

In other fallout, the pan-Arab Al-Hayyat newspaper reported that Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman met with an adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Uzi Arad, to warn that Israel’s conduct was liable to ignite another regional conflagration. Israel confirmed that Arad was in Cairo but did not provide further details.

Netanyahu called U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Thursday promising unspecified confidence-building measures toward the Palestinians. His office refused to say whether building in east Jerusalem would halt as Clinton has demanded.

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman was in Brussels today, where he was to have taken part in an official meeting between the EU and Israel, but the talks were abruptly called off.

EU spokeswoman Cristina Gallach said Lieberman was supposed to attend an EU-Israel committee meeting on Monday, but it was postponed until next month because EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton had just visited Israel and Gaza this week. Gallach denied the postponement was a snub, but the move came as EU-Israeli ties are under increasing strain.

Palestinians claim east Jerusalem for the capital of a future state. Netanyahu objects to partitioning the city. Washington and the rest of the international community does not recognize Israel’s annexation of east Jerusalem after the 1967 Mideast war and views the Jewish neighborhoods there as settlements like those Israel has built in the West Bank.

Since last week, violent protests have erupted several times in Palestinian neighborhoods of Jerusalem where residents are angry over both the new Jewish housing plans and rumors that Jewish extremists are plotting to take over an Old City site that is holy to Muslims and Jews.

The hilltop compound, known to Muslims as Noble Sanctuary, is home to the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, Islam’s third-holiest shrine. The complex, known to Jews as Temple Mount, is Judaism’s holiest site because the biblical Jewish temples once stood there.

In other violence today, dozens of Palestinians and their supporters protesting Israel’s West Bank separation barrier threw rocks at soldiers in two West Bank towns, Bilin and Naalin. Troops responded with tear gas and stun grenades. No injuries were reported.

Militants in Gaza, meanwhile, fired a rocket at southern Israel today, a day after a rocket killed a Thai worker in the first deadly attack on Israel since last year’s Gaza Strip war. No one was injured in today’s rocket fire and no group immediately claimed responsibility.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Customers enter and exit the Costco on Dec. 2, 2022, in Lake Stevens. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Costco stores could be impacted by looming truck driver strike threat

Truck drivers who deliver groceries and produce to Costco warehouses… Continue reading

Two Washington State ferries pass along the route between Mukilteo and Clinton as scuba divers swim near the shore Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023, in Mukilteo, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Ferry system increases ridership by a half million in 2024

Edmonds-Kingston route remains second-busiest route in the system.

Firefighters respond to a 911 call on July 16, 2024, in Mill Creek. Firefighters from South County Fire, Tulalip Bay Fire Department and Camano Island Fire and Rescue left Wednesday to help fight the LA fires. (Photo provided by South County Fire)
Help is on the way: Snohomish County firefighters en route to LA fires

The Los Angeles wildfires have caused at least 180,000 evacuations. The crews expect to arrive Friday.

x
Edmonds police shooting investigation includes possibility of gang violence

The 18-year-old victim remains in critical condition as of Friday morning.

The Everett Wastewater Treatment Plant along the Snohomish River. Thursday, June 16, 2022 in Everett. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett council approves water, sewer rate increases

The 43% rise in combined water and sewer rates will pay for large infrastructure projects.

Robin Cain with 50 of her marathon medals hanging on a display board she made with her father on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Running a marathon is hard. She ran one in every state.

Robin Cain, of Lake Stevens, is one of only a few thousand people to ever achieve the feat.

People line up to grab food at the Everett Recovery Cafe on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Coffee, meals and compassion are free at the Everett Recovery Cafe

The free, membership-based day center offers free coffee and meals and more importantly, camaraderie and recovery support.

Devani Padron, left, Daisy Ramos perform during dance class at Mari's Place Monday afternoon in Everett on July 13, 2016. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
Mari’s Place helps children build confidence and design a better future

The Everett-based nonprofit offers free and low-cost classes in art, music, theater and dance for children ages 5 to 14.

The Everett Wastewater Treatment Plant along the Snohomish River on Thursday, June 16, 2022 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett water, sewer rates could jump 43% by 2028

The rate hikes would pay for improvements to the city’s sewer infrastructure.

The bond funded new track and field at Northshore Middle School on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024 in Bothell, Washington. (Courtesy of Northshore School District)
Northshore School District bond improvements underway

The $425 million bond is funding new track and field complexes, playgrounds and phase one of two school replacements.

Pharmacist Nisha Mathew prepares a Pfizer COVID booster shot for a patient at Bartell Drugs on Broadway on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Everett lawmakers back universal health care bill, introduced in Olympia

Proponents say providing health care for all is a “fundamental human right.” Opponents worry about the cost of implementing it.

Outside of the updated section of Lake Stevens High School on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020 in Lake Stevens, Wa. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lake Stevens, Arlington school measures on Feb. 11 ballot

A bond in Lake Stevens and a levy in Arlington would be used to build new schools.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.