Following the attack on an Israeli family that left two dead, the government of Irsael closed during two days the Old City of Jerusalem Palestinians who do not live there and warned to launch a military offensive in West Bank similar to that of the second intifada.
"During the next two days will be permitted entry to Israeli citizens, residents of the Old City (Jerusalem), tourists and students in schools there," the government through a statement .
in other words, the Palestinians can not enter the old city to pray at the Temple Mount, one of the most sacred for Muslims around the world places. The reaction was felt immediately.
The Palestinian merchants and schools in the Old City of Jerusalem went on strike and the narrow streets of the old city, usually crowded, were this morning unusually deserted, though equally tense in recent days.
Since the Israeli government, the Minister of Transport and intelligence services, Israel Katz, further fueled the climate of tension that dominates the region warn that if necessary launch a massive military offensive in the West Bank as 02, during the second intifada, the government will.
"We have to make a decision, if we need to launch a Defensive Shield operation. We need to toughen measures to will provide security for Israel, "he said in an interview with local newspaper Maariv .
for several months the escalation of violence and tension between Israelis and Palestinians seems endless and every time mobilizes more people, from both sides.
this Sunday more than 0 Palestinians were wounded by military and police repression of Israeli forces in different cities of the occupied east Jerusalem and the West Bank Palestinian territories. attacks and repression also reached the paramedics and employees of the local Red Crescent, which declared a "state of emergency" according to the Palestinian news agency Maan .
at the same time, a thousand people took to the streets in Jerusalem to attend the funeral of the two victims of Saturday's attack.
Aharon Banita, a soldier of 21 years, was with his family in the old city when they were attacked by a Palestinian. His wife and two year old baby were wounded.
Nehemia Lavi, a well-known rabbi seminary Ateret Cohanim, located in the heart of the Arab quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, in the eastern part occupied by Israel since 1967, was also there with his family and headed to the Wailing Wall to pray.
yesterday's attack in the Old City of Jerusalem was only the latest in a long list, which on Thursday he added the shooting past the car of a family of settlers in the West Bank. Parents died on the spot, the children were not hurt and the Israeli government sent four battalions of the Army to find those responsible.
According to the 1967 borders recognized by the international community and pre-called Six-Day War, the future Palestinian state will consist of the Gaza Strip, West Bank and east Jerusalem. Within the latter territory is Jerusalem's Old City
Source:. Telam