Attacker shot dead after attempted stabbing of Israeli soldier in Hebron

“Unfortunately, Israel’s investigation systems have long served to perpetuate impunity for unlawful killings of Palestinians by Israeli military and police forces”, he said. Abbas accused Netanyahu of exploiting “the most horrendous crime known in modern history” in Israel’s campaign against Palestinians.

Local residents cited by Amnesty said she was shot “in cold blood”, and reported soldiers prevented medical personnel from treating the wounded woman for “at least half an hour”.

After an intense diplomatic drive to defuse the tensions, Israel and Jordan – the custodian of the holy site – agreed Saturday to allow surveillance cameras at the compound, but this has run into trouble as the two lock horns over the installation.

Increasing numbers of religious Jews visiting the compound – which is Islam’s holiest site outside Saudi Arabia and revered in Judaism as the location of two destroyed biblical temples – have led to Palestinian allegations that Israel is violating a “status quo” under which Jewish prayer there is banned. The violence quickly spread to the rest of Jerusalem, as well as the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

The speech came amid new violence between Palestinians and Israelis.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the visit by Basel Ghattas, a Christian lawmaker with the Arab-Jewish Joint List faction, was a “provocation” that could only further “inflame the situation”. Numerous attackers have been youngsters.

In five weeks, 10 Israelis have been killed in Palestinian attacks, mostly stabbings, while 50 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire, including 29 said by Israel to be attackers.

Palestinians have repeatedly accused Israeli security forces of implementing a shoot-to-kill policy.

Protests at the mosque compound itself have eased in the past two weeks, but the lone-wolf attacks have not abated. Without the permits, experts say, tens of thousands of Palestinians would be unable to travel to Israel for work.

Israeli police spokesperson Micky Rosenfeld also said that a “Palestinian terrorist” was shot and killed, adding that “security measures” were continuing in the area.

His son Micah Avni Lakin said he had been a big fan of social media, where young Palestinians have incited attacks, uploading videos and sharing the hashtag #Jerusalemintifada. Fifty-nine Palestinians – around half of them attackers – and one Israeli Arab have also been killed.

Rabbi Richard Plavin of Beth Shalom B’nai Israel in Manchester, Connecticut, which Lakin attended before moving to Israel in 1984, said Lakin was a passionate man who pursued peace and justice.

The Palestinian attacks have put Israelis on edge and with public panic rising, there have been a number of violent cases of mistaken identity.