Jerusalem is bracing for a tense week as Palestinians prepare on Monday to celebrate the end of Ramadan with Eid al-Fitr, and Israelis celebrate Independence Day next Thursday.
The two events can generate more discomfort as emotions are at their maximum between the two sides after a violent month.
Fourteen Israelis were killed in 4 separate terrorist attacks between March and early April, and more than 20 Palestinians lost their lives in clashes with Israeli soldiers.
There have been normal clashes between Muslim worshippers and Israeli police at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem’s Old City.
On several occasions, police entered and used rubber bullets, tear fuel and stun grenades to repel Palestinians throwing stones and fireworks at them.
On one occasion, police even entered al-Aqsa’s own mosque and arrested more than one Palestinians.
Many of them arrested.
Israeli police moves have been harshly criticized through neighboring Jordan, which maintains official custody of al-Aqsa, the third holiest in the Islamic faith.
Two of the Palestinians killed in recent weeks were shot dead in the village of Husan, near Bethlehem.
One of them was Ghada Sabaten, a 46-year-old mother of six, who was walking towards a makeshift Israel Defense Forces (IDF) checkpoint.
They yelled at him to avoid and fired caution shots, but then shot him in the leg as he continued towards them.
No weapons were discovered in it.
Her circle of relatives said they believed Ghada had been killed.
“There is no way to explain my grief,” Ghada’s mother told Sky News.
“She is well educated, respectful and polite. First in his mathematical elegance at Bethlehem University.
“Would the soldier have done that to his mom or sister?I will forgive him.
The IDF told Sky News that “the incident is being investigated,” but its foot soldiers followed correct protocol and Ghada “received initial attention at the scene through infantrymen,” but “Palestinians at the scene prevented the suspect from being evacuated for additional medical attention. “”
As tensions rose, rebel elements inside Gaza fired rockets into Israel: one landed in the town of Sderot, damaging a space but causing no serious injury, others were intercepted through the Iron Dome defense system.
In return, the IDF introduced airstrikes against Hamas army targets, destroying weapons factories but with no casualties.
IDF counterterrorism operations continue in the West Bank, focusing primarily on the northern city of Jenin.
This week, one Palestinian was shot dead and 15 arrested fighting there.
“The IDF is getting closer,” Richard Pater, a former IDF commander, told Sky News.
“At the same time that they need to fight terrorism, they also propose a policy of difference in which they must ensure that the fabric of the quality of life of ordinary Palestinians, Palestinians without guilt, can continue and continue with their lives in general and we saw this also this week, with tens of thousands of Palestinians entering and being able to pray in the Ramadan mosque, therefore, it is a two-pronged technique of the IDF. “