Abbas says attacks ‘justified’

Two-thirds of Palestinians support the wave of stabbings against Israelis, with the same percentage backing a larger armed uprising, a poll released yesterday found.

“We call on both Israeli and Palestinian leaders to act decisively to de-escalate the situation”.

Mr Abbas has previously refrained from either endorsing or condemning the attacks, often referring to the wave of violence as understandable but not in the best interests of the Palestinian people.

Many of the Palestinians killed have been attackers, while others have been shot dead by Israeli security forces during clashes.

Last month at Qalandiya, Israeli forces shot dead two Palestinians when heavy clashes erupted during an operation to demolish the home of an alleged attacker, part of a series of punitive demolitions.

Police found an axe inside the vehicle, suggesting that Hassouna, a resident of East Jerusalem, had planned to attack pedestrians after hitting the bus stop.

Since Oct. 1, Israeli forces have killed 113 Palestinians, 67 of whom Israel says were assailants. The Palestinians are continuing to incite their youth using any means necessary to educate them about violence and hatred.

“The Palestinian public thinks Abbas does not support the current confrontation and is not serious [pursuing] diplomatic confrontation with Israel, which is why he is losing support”, Khalil Shikaki, head of the PSR, told AFP.

“There can never be justification for wanton attacks on civilians like we saw today”, said Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev.

According to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society (PPS), 85 percent of Palestinians who were killed by Israeli troops since the beginning of violence were “extra-judicially executed”.

After the attack on Monday afternoon, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened an emergency meeting with Mayor of Jerusalem Nir Barkat, Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan and Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz where he is reported to have ordered protective barriers to be installed at hundreds of Jerusalem bus stops.

Barkat praised the “immediate alertness” of bystanders who averted “a grave tragedy”.