Saturday, October 3, 2015

In the Old City of East Jerusalem, a Palestinian kills 2 Israelis and injures 2 others during a knife attack; Israeli police shoot and kill him and set up mobile checkpoints throughout the city. After the attack, Israeli forces forcibly evict some 70 Palestinians from Haram al-Sharif. Later, they arrest 2 Palestinians and clash with stone-throwers during raids in Silwan; 19 Palestinians are injured. Also around the Old City, Israelis assault and injure a Palestinian, and later throw stones at a Palestinian driver, causing him to lose control and hit a pedestrian. In the evening, Israelis march through Silwan, chanting and throwing stones at Palestinian homes. Meanwhile, the Israeli authorities continue enforcing the access restrictions at Haram al-Sharif that were announced on 9/27 for the Jewish holiday Sukkoth. (HA, MNA, NYT 10/3)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers protest recent Palestinian attacks by blockading a road nr. Hebron. Throughout the day, settlers throw stones at Palestinians and their property nr. Nablus, Hebron, and Ramallah, where they also assault a Palestinian and spark clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian youths. Similarly, settlers clash with Palestinian stone-throwers nr. Tulkarm, Hebron, and Nablus; Israeli forces intervene and consequently injure 3 Palestinians. During early morning arrest raids in Jenin r.c., IDF troops arrest 3 Palestinians and set fire to a home to evacuate a suspect, sparking a firefight with armed Palestinians and injuring 25 of them, including 4 with live ammunition. Undercover Israeli forces raid a Palestinian hospital in Nablus, disable security cameras, and arrest 1 patient. Israeli forces clash with stone-throwers in Jalazun r.c. nr. Ramallah and around Hebron, injuring 2 Palestinian medics. Throughout the day, Israeli forces conduct arrest raids and house searches in Nablus and outside Ramallah, arresting 1 Palestinian; patrol in al-‘Arub r.c. and nr. Hebron. Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces arrest 2 Palestinians attempting to cross into Israel e. of al-Maghazi r.c. (HA, MNA, NYT, TOI, WAFA 10/3; EI, HA, MNA, WAFA, YA 10/4; HA, YA 10/5; PCHR 10/8)