Fresh Jerusalem stabbings as Israel considers next move

A stabbing at an entrance to Jerusalem’s Old City and another near a bus stop on Sunday left two people wounded and an attacker killed, while Israel closed a third Palestinian radio station it accused of inciting violence. The attacks and closure of the station came with Israeli security forces struggling to halt two months of knife, gun and car-ramming assaults.

Several weeks ago, an Israeli security crackdown in Jerusalem, including roadblocks in Palestinian neighbourhoods, was followed by a lull in attacks in the city, but violence has recently returned.

Early on Sunday, a 38-year-old Palestinian stabbed and lightly wounded an Israeli border police officer at Damascus Gate, a main entrance point for Palestinians to east Jerusalem’s Old City and the site of several previous attacks. The attacker was identified as Bassem Salah from the northern West Bank city of Nablus.

Later in the morning, a foreign woman of around 30 was lightly wounded in a stabbing near a bus station in west Jerusalem and the attacker fled. Police said a Palestinian suspect was later arrested near the sce-ne. Further details on the victim were not immediately provided. Violence since October 1 has left 100 dead on the Palestinian side, including an Arab Israeli, as well as 17 Israelis, an American and an Eritrean.

Debate has intensified within Israel on whether to take conciliatory steps to ease tensions or to respond more forcefully.

Palestinian leaders blame Israel for the wave of violence, saying its continued occupation and settlement building along with a lack of progress in peace efforts have led to hopelessness among young people.