Clashes Between Israeli Security Forces and Palestinians Around Al-Aqsa Mosque

On Friday, August 5, Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem witnessed clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces. These clashes occurred a day after an Israeli man was killed by a Palestinian with a knife and following heightened Israeli security measures in some areas of the West Bank. According to Israeli media reports, after the Friday prayers, Israeli security forces fired rubber bullets to counter stone-throwing by Palestinians. The new clashes come after about three months of relative and shaky calm. Previously, severe clashes had occurred in these areas as part of widespread Palestinian protests against the 70th anniversary of Israel's establishment and the relocation of the US embassy to Jerusalem. The new wave of violence began on Thursday evening with an attack by a Palestinian. Israeli media reported that the 17-year-old Palestinian, identified as Muhammad Tarek Youssef, killed a 31-year-old Israeli man named Yotam Avadia by stabbing him in a house in the Jewish settlement of Adam near Ramallah. Another Israeli, who was injured by the attacker's knife, shot Muhammad Tarek Youssef. Avigdor Lieberman, Israel's Defense Minister, stated on Friday during Yotam Avadia's funeral that 'the best response to terror is the expansion of Jewish settlements' and ordered the construction of '400 homes' for Jews in the Adam settlement to begin soon. Meanwhile, the Israeli army has besieged the home of the Palestinian attacker in the village of Kobar in the West Bank, interrogating his family members and imposing a curfew in the village at least until Sunday. According to the news website 'Wynet', the presence of Israeli soldiers in this village has led to clashes between the two sides since Thursday evening. Following the Palestinian attack, the presence of Israeli soldiers in various parts of the West Bank, especially around Jewish settlements, has increased. On the other hand, the Hamas group issued a statement praising Muhammad Tarek Youssef's attack, calling it a 'resistance action.' The previous round of clashes between Israel and Palestinians mainly occurred around Gaza and its borders with southern Israel, resulting in the deaths of 152 Palestinians and injuries to over 16,000 in the past four months. Sporadic clashes between Israel and Palestinians in Gaza continue, and on Friday, the Israeli army attacked Palestinians flying incendiary kites. Israeli security officials have expressed concern that the murder of the Israeli man in Thursday's incident may mark the 'beginning of a new wave of clashes' in East Jerusalem and the West Bank.