Stabbings and clashes that left six people dead raised fears on Saturday of further Israeli-Palestinian violence as tensions mount over new security measures at a highly sensitive Jerusalem holy site.
Friday’s violence – a stabbing attack that killed three Israelis and clashes which left three Palestinians dead – was among the most severe in recent years.
There were concerns over whether it would spark wider unrest as Israeli officials grappled with how to ease tensions over the Haram al-Sharif mosque compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount.
The site in Jerusalem’s Old City that includes the revered al-Aqsa mosque and Dome of the Rock has been a rallying cry for Palestinians.
Tensions have risen throughout the past week because of new Israeli security measures at the compound following an attack nearby that killed two policemen on July 14.
The measures have included the installation of metal detectors at entrances to the site, which Palestinians reject since they view the move as Israel asserting further control over it.
Israeli authorities say the July 14 attackers smuggled guns into the holy site and emerged from it to shoot the policemen.Abbas freezes contactsThree Palestinians between the ages of 17 and 20 were shot dead. The Palestinian Red Crescent reported 450 people wounded in Jerusalem and the West Bank, including 170 from live or rubber bullets.
In the evening, a Palestinian broke into a home in a Jewish settlement in the West Bank during a Sabbath dinner and stabbed four Israelis, killing three of them.
The 19-year-old Palestinian was shot by a neighbour, an off-duty soldier, and was taken to hospital.
Preparations were also being made to demolish the attacker’s home, a measure Israel regularly employs because it views it as a deterrent, although human rights groups say it amounts to collective punishment.
Amid mounting pressure to respond to the dispute over the mosque compound, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas announced late Friday he was freezing contacts with Israel.
Thursday, June 04, 2026
