LIVE BLOG: The Third Intifada - the unrest spreads
Middle East Eye brings you up-to-the-minute coverage of the latest developments in Israel-Palestine. Here's a summary of what has happened so far:
- Four apparent stabbing attacks have taken place in Jerusalem. Three Palestinian suspects in the attacks were shot dead by Israeli forces, bringing the number of Palestinians killed so far this month to 27.
- At least 1,000 Palestinians have been injured by live and rubber bullets since 1 October, with numbers expected to rise amid ongoing clashes at various sites in the West Bank
- The Israeli Knesset reconvenes for its winter session today, with national security top of the bill. Politicians will vote on a proposal that would see the parents of minors convicted of stone throwing stripped of their benefits
Live Updates
Mourners have gathered in a small village north of Ramallah for the funeral of Ahmed Abdullah Sharaka, the 13-year-old boy killed during clashes near the West Bank settlement of Beit El on Sunday.
Sharaka was from al-Jalazon Camp, a village set up in 1949 to house Palestinian refugees.
He was killed on Sunday evening during violent clashes between Palestinians and the Israeli security forces just outside Beit El.
Merchants and traders in Ramallah shuttered their shops on Monday in protest at the killing, and footage from the north of the city showed the streets empty.
Israeli forces have used tear gas at a march of Palestinian lawyers, local media report.
A march by members of the Palestinian Bar Association set off this morning from Ramallah, heading towards the West Bank town of Bira.
The march was organised in memory of the 25 Palestinians who have been killed by Israeli security services so far this month.
The group of protesters was hit with tear gas as they approached an Israeli checkpoint outside the settlement of Beit El, east of Ramallah.
The winter session of the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset, opens on Monday, with the ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clinging to the smallest possible majority.
The ruling coalition has 61 of the Knesset’s 120 seats, but hopes to push through tough new security legislation.
Among the first bills up for discussion in a session likely to be dominated by security issues is a motion to stiffen penalties for Palestinians accused of throwing stones.
Those convicted already face sentences of up to 20 years if they are deemed to have intended serious injury by throwing stones at cars.
The passing of that bill in July led to intense criticism from activists who complained that it “contradicts the most basic rule: that the punishment fit the offence”.
Israeli ministers on Sunday approved a fresh bill that would further increase the punishments that can be given to Palestinians convicted of stone throwing.
The bill, proposed by Justice Minister with strong backing from Netanyahu, would see adults liable to minimum four-year prison sentences for rock throwing.
Under the proposed bill, the parents of minors convicted of the same crime could have their benefits stopped for the period in which their child is imprisoned.
Parents of minors can also be fined.
Since the bill received ministerial approval on Sunday, it only needs to be voted up by the Knesset before passing into law.
Palestinians have been killed by Israeli security forces at a rate of more than two a day since 1 October, according to figures just released by the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Health.
The young man shot dead this morning near the Lions' Gate of Jerusalem's Old City, after allegedly attempting a stabbing attack against Israeli police officers, became the 25th Palestinian to be killed by Israeli forces so far this month.
The latest person to die has been named locally as 18-year-old Mustafa Khatib, a secondary school student from East Jerusalem.
Of the 25 people killed, eight were under the age of 18.
Fourteen people died in the West Bank, while 11 were killed in Gaza.
During the same period four Israelis have been killed by attacks launched by Palestinians.
Check out our up-to-date timeline for an overview of the rising violence since the start of the month.
More than 1,300 Palestinians have been injured by live and rubber bullets fired by Israeli security forces so far in October.
The figures released by the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Health on ٍSunday night included a high toll from the day's clashes, in which 75 Palestinians were injured by live ammunition.
