Israel authorises police to seal off Palestinian areas of Jerusalem

The moves included imposing a closure on parts of East Jerusalem, the recruitment of 300 security guards for public transport and the revocation of residency rights of those committing serious crimes, according to a statement issued by the Israeli government.

The violence erupted last month over the Jewish new year, fuelled by rumours that Israel was plotting to take over Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy site.

Israel’s security cabinet had authorised the crackdown hours earlier in an overnight session after Palestinians armed with knives and a gun killed three Israelis and wounded several others on Tuesday.

The announcement came after a particularly bloody day in which a pair of Palestinian stabbing and shooting attacks in Jerusalem killed three Israelis.

Seven Israelis and 31 Palestinians, including attackers, children and protesters in violent anti-Israeli demonstrations, have been killed in two weeks of bloodshed.

Senior State Department officials said Wednesday that the United States is growing increasingly concerned about spiraling violence in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, and is gearing diplomatic efforts at avoiding a third intifada, or Palestinian uprising. Although Israel says the rumors are unfounded, clashes have quickly spread across Israel and into the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Israel’s internal security minister said Wednesday that the bodies of dead Palestinian attackers would not be returned to their families for burial.

In his first address since the violence began, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said in televised remarks that he supported “peaceful and popular” struggle against Israel.

“Today we… decide on a series of vigorous steps in our fight against the sources of terrorism and incitement”, the Prime Minister said.

Eight Israelis have died in a string of stabbings, shootings and the stoning of a auto, while 29 Palestinians, including 12 identified by Israel as attackers, have been killed.

The administration’s muted response to the outburst of violence clearly demonstrates how the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, once a top priority for any American policymaker, has now been overshadowed by the region’s other urgent crises.

How the Palestinian leadership handles the situation could be key to its survival, al-Omari said. “In addition to the demolition of terrorists’ homes, no new construction will be permitted”, said the security cabinet statement.

“Decisions such as the ones adopted by the Israeli Cabinet pour gasoline on the fire”, he added.

Mansour called the checkpoints “collective punishment”.

Prosor also said representing Israel at the United Nations was a “privilege” for him and wished his successor “the best of luck and strength to face any future battles”.

With many Israeli stores closed on the Jewish Sabbath, Arab towns such as Nazareth, located inside Israel just north of the occupied West Bank, are usually filled with Jewish shoppers.

A Palestinian pushes burning tries during clashes with Israeli troops near Ramallah, West Bank, Tuesday, October 13, 2015.

When tensions between Israelis and Palestinians flared up in Jerusalem last November, Secretary of State John Kerry invited Israeli and Palestinian leaders to an emergency summit in Jordan to clear the air and restore calm.

At a occupied Jerusalem bus stop where a Palestinian from Jabel Mukabar stabbed and killed an Israeli man on Tuesday before being shot dead, an Israeli woman sounded a defiant note.