Israeli border policemen stand guard on the scene where an attempted stabbing took place near the Lion Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem, on Oct. 12, 2015. Police shot and killed a Palestinian who allegedly tried to stab them in Jerusalem on Monday, authorities said. According to an initial investigation, a Palestinian man raised the suspicion of police officers at the scene as he walked down the street, police spokesperson Micky Rosenfeld told Xinhua. They tried to stop him for questioning and he tried to attack one of them, whose protective vest stopped the knife, the spokesman said. (Xinhua/JINI)
JERUSALEM, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Police shot and killed a Palestinian who allegedly tried to stab them in Jerusalem on Monday, authorities said.
According to an initial investigation, a Palestinian man raised the suspicion of police officers at the scene as he walked down the street, police spokesperson Micky Rosenfeld told Xinhua.
They tried to stop him for questioning and he tried to attack one of them, whose protective vest stopped the knife, the spokesman said.
There have been two stabbing attacks in recent weeks in the area, including one that left two Israelis dead on Oct. 3.
Police beefed up security in the sensitive spot, and installed metal detectors as a means of thwarting further attacks.
Tensions continued to simmer in Israel and the Palestinian territories on Monday.
The Israeli military said in a statement that it has arrested 33 Palestinians between Sunday and Monday, some of them members of the Hamas movement, for their alleged involvement in planning attacks as well as their role in violent clashes with Israeli security forces.
The current wave of violence between Palestinians and Israelis started over a month ago, with strife over a Jerusalem flashpoint holy site, known to Jews as Temple Mount, and to Arabs as the Noble Sanctuary. Tensions then spread to the West Bank and across Israel.
Four Israelis have been killed in stabbing attacks and dozens injured. More than 11 Palestinians have died in clashes with Israeli security forces in east Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, with some being shot dead by police officers after allegedly trying to carry out stabbing attacks.
More than 1,000 Palestinians were injured, mostly in clashes with Israeli soldiers, from live fire, rubber bullets and tear gas.
More than 2.5 million Palestinians live in east Jerusalem and the West Bank, on lands Israel occupied during the 1967 Mideast War and are slated to become part of a future Palestinian state according to a two-state solution.
