Israel arrests dozens of Palestinians after shooting rampage
Israel arrests dozens of Palestinians after shooting rampage
October 11, 2016 | 12:00 AM
The Associated Press Photographer Majdi Mohammed shows a bruise after he was hit with a rubber bullet while covering clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians in the town of Al-Ram, West Bank, Sunday. — AP
October 11, 2016 | 12:00 AM
Last Updated: October 11, 2016 | 12:00 AM
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The Associated Press Photographer Majdi Mohammed shows a bruise after he was hit with a rubber bullet while covering clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians in the town of Al-Ram, West Bank, Sunday. — AP[/caption]Occupied Jerusalem — Israeli authorities have arrested dozens of Palestinians after a shooting rampage in occupied Jerusalem killed two people and wounded five others, police said Monday.
The arrests after Sunday›s attack included 31 Palestinians seeking to participate in celebrations in memory of the assailant as well as members of his family in east Jerusalem, Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan told army radio.
Some 15 other Palestinians were arrested for throwing stones and Molotov cocktails at security forces in east Jerusalem, police spokeswoman Luba Samri said.
The arrests come after Sunday›s attack in which a 39-year-old Palestinian allegedly went on a shooting rampage in Jerusalem, opening fire from a car and again as police chased him.
Two Israelis were killed, including a police officer and a 60-year-old woman. The alleged attacker, Misbah Abu Sbeih from the Silwan area of east Jerusalem, was killed by police.
Palestinian media said Abu Sbeih was due to begin a four-month prison term on Sunday for attacking an Israeli police officer in 2013.
Israeli media reported Monday that he allegedly used an M16 rifle issued by the Israeli military in the attack, though that had not been confirmed by authorities.
The shooting rampage comes at a time of increased Jewish visitors to the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound in east Jerusalem for the holidays of Rosh Hashanah, which was last week, and Yom Kippur, which begins Tuesday evening.
The same typically occurs for the Jewish Sukkot holiday that takes place next week.
Last year›s Jewish high holidays led to clashes and marked the start of an upsurge in Palestinian gun, knife and car-ramming attacks.
Violence since October 2015 has killed 232 Palestinians, 36 Israelis, two Americans, one Jordanian, an Eritrean and a Sudanese national, according to an AFP count.
Meanwhile, an Associated Press photographer on Sunday was shot and lightly wounded by a rubber bullet fired by Israeli troops during clashes in the West Bank.
Photographer Majdi Mohammed said he was covering an arrest raid in the village of Al-Ram when residents began throwing stones at Israeli forces.
The forces, including Israeli troops and paramilitary border police, responded with tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.
Mohammed said that during the unrest, one of the Israelis cursed him and ordered him to leave. He said that as he turned around to leave, he was shot from close range in the back of his shoulder, an area that was not covered by his protective vest.
Mohammed said the bullet did not break any bones, but the impact left a bloody welt on his shoulder.
Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, a military spokesman, and Micky Rosenfeld, a police spokesman, both said the incident would be investigated.
The Associated Press Photographer Majdi Mohammed shows a bruise after he was hit with a rubber bullet while covering clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians in the town of Al-Ram, West Bank, Sunday. — AP[/caption]Occupied Jerusalem — Israeli authorities have arrested dozens of Palestinians after a shooting rampage in occupied Jerusalem killed two people and wounded five others, police said Monday.
The arrests after Sunday›s attack included 31 Palestinians seeking to participate in celebrations in memory of the assailant as well as members of his family in east Jerusalem, Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan told army radio.
Some 15 other Palestinians were arrested for throwing stones and Molotov cocktails at security forces in east Jerusalem, police spokeswoman Luba Samri said.
The arrests come after Sunday›s attack in which a 39-year-old Palestinian allegedly went on a shooting rampage in Jerusalem, opening fire from a car and again as police chased him.
Two Israelis were killed, including a police officer and a 60-year-old woman. The alleged attacker, Misbah Abu Sbeih from the Silwan area of east Jerusalem, was killed by police.
Palestinian media said Abu Sbeih was due to begin a four-month prison term on Sunday for attacking an Israeli police officer in 2013.
Israeli media reported Monday that he allegedly used an M16 rifle issued by the Israeli military in the attack, though that had not been confirmed by authorities.
The shooting rampage comes at a time of increased Jewish visitors to the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound in east Jerusalem for the holidays of Rosh Hashanah, which was last week, and Yom Kippur, which begins Tuesday evening.
The same typically occurs for the Jewish Sukkot holiday that takes place next week.
Last year›s Jewish high holidays led to clashes and marked the start of an upsurge in Palestinian gun, knife and car-ramming attacks.
Violence since October 2015 has killed 232 Palestinians, 36 Israelis, two Americans, one Jordanian, an Eritrean and a Sudanese national, according to an AFP count.
Meanwhile, an Associated Press photographer on Sunday was shot and lightly wounded by a rubber bullet fired by Israeli troops during clashes in the West Bank.
Photographer Majdi Mohammed said he was covering an arrest raid in the village of Al-Ram when residents began throwing stones at Israeli forces.
The forces, including Israeli troops and paramilitary border police, responded with tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.
Mohammed said that during the unrest, one of the Israelis cursed him and ordered him to leave. He said that as he turned around to leave, he was shot from close range in the back of his shoulder, an area that was not covered by his protective vest.
Mohammed said the bullet did not break any bones, but the impact left a bloody welt on his shoulder.
Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, a military spokesman, and Micky Rosenfeld, a police spokesman, both said the incident would be investigated. 
