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Israeli Strike Kills 3 Palestinian Militants in Gaza Amid Escalating Violence, Israeli Strike Kills 3 Militants in Gaza
(about 7 hours later)
JERUSALEM — An Israeli airstrike in the southeast Gaza Strip on Tuesday morning killed three Palestinian militants who the Israeli military said had fired a mortar at its soldiers patrolling near the border, hours after a pilotless Israeli surveillance drone crashed nearby.JERUSALEM — An Israeli airstrike in the southeast Gaza Strip on Tuesday morning killed three Palestinian militants who the Israeli military said had fired a mortar at its soldiers patrolling near the border, hours after a pilotless Israeli surveillance drone crashed nearby.
The two unrelated incidents in Gaza, where an uptick in cross-border violence over the past two months has threatened a fragile cease-fire with Israel, came amid growing outrage over Monday’s fatal shooting by an Israeli soldier of a Jordanian judge of Palestinian origin at the Allenby Bridge. The two unrelated incidents in Gaza, where an uptick in cross-border violence over the past two months has threatened a fragile cease-fire with Israel, came amid growing outrage over Monday’s fatal shooting by an Israeli soldier of a Jordanian judge of Palestinian origin at the Allenby Bridge, which links Jordan and the West Bank.
Even before the Gaza airstrike, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesman for President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, issued a statement that condemned Israel for “a dangerous escalation that will lead to the destruction of what remains of the peace process” and could lead to “pushing toward dangerous situations that couldn’t be controlled.”Even before the Gaza airstrike, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesman for President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, issued a statement that condemned Israel for “a dangerous escalation that will lead to the destruction of what remains of the peace process” and could lead to “pushing toward dangerous situations that couldn’t be controlled.”
In Jordan, several hundred protesters called for the ouster of the Israeli ambassador and the cancellation of Jordan’s 20-year-old peace treaty with Israel during a march from a courthouse to the Parliament.In Jordan, several hundred protesters called for the ouster of the Israeli ambassador and the cancellation of Jordan’s 20-year-old peace treaty with Israel during a march from a courthouse to the Parliament.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, attempting to quell the tension with Jordan — Israel’s closest regional ally and a key player in the Middle East peace process — issued a statement on Tuesday expressing “regret” over the killing of the judge and agreeing to establish a joint Israeli-Jordanian investigation team. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, attempting to quell the tension with Jordan — Israel’s closest regional ally and a key player in the Middle East peace process — issued a statement on Tuesday expressing regret over the killing of the judge and agreeing to establish a joint Israeli-Jordanian investigation team.
“In light of our commitment to the peace treaty, Israel has already shared with Jordan the results of its preliminary investigation,” Mr. Netanyahu said in the statement, which offered Israel’s “sympathy to the people and government of Jordan.”“In light of our commitment to the peace treaty, Israel has already shared with Jordan the results of its preliminary investigation,” Mr. Netanyahu said in the statement, which offered Israel’s “sympathy to the people and government of Jordan.”
The statement came after an angry demonstration on Monday outside the Israeli Embassy in Amman, the Jordanian capital. Jordan’s foreign minister had summoned the ranking Israeli diplomat earlier in the day for a reprimand and to request the joint investigation.The statement came after an angry demonstration on Monday outside the Israeli Embassy in Amman, the Jordanian capital. Jordan’s foreign minister had summoned the ranking Israeli diplomat earlier in the day for a reprimand and to request the joint investigation.
“I hope we will begin to see, starting from tomorrow, a step-by-step diminishing of the tension,” Gilad Noll, the political officer at the embassy, said by telephone Tuesday.“I hope we will begin to see, starting from tomorrow, a step-by-step diminishing of the tension,” Gilad Noll, the political officer at the embassy, said by telephone Tuesday.
“I think they want to allow the people to let off some steam,” Mr. Noll said of the Jordanian government. “But there is no justification for putting the relations between us and Jordan in danger. The relations are too important for both parties.”“I think they want to allow the people to let off some steam,” Mr. Noll said of the Jordanian government. “But there is no justification for putting the relations between us and Jordan in danger. The relations are too important for both parties.”
Mr. Netanyahu had earlier expressed skepticism about the American-led peace talks with the Palestinians, after Mr. Abbas reiterated his opposition to recognizing Israel as a Jewish state on Monday night during a meeting of his Fatah Revolutionary Council.Mr. Netanyahu had earlier expressed skepticism about the American-led peace talks with the Palestinians, after Mr. Abbas reiterated his opposition to recognizing Israel as a Jewish state on Monday night during a meeting of his Fatah Revolutionary Council.
“We are moving away from an agreement,” Mr. Netanyahu told members of his political party on Tuesday, according to Twitter posts by Ofir Gendelman, a spokesman for the prime minister. “The Palestinians aren’t showing any sign of willingness to reach a practical and fair deal.” “We are moving away from an agreement,” Mr. Netanyahu told members of his political party on Tuesday, according to Twitter posts by Ofir Gendelman, his spokesman.
Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces, said the deadly airstrike in the Gaza Strip came a few minutes after militants from Islamic Jihad fired at Israeli troops conducting routine operations “just on the western side of the fence” — inside Gaza. “It was just the rapid response required to take the threat out of the equation,” Colonel Lerner said in an interview. “Ultimately, there is a price to pay: If you attack our soldiers, you’re putting yourself at risk.” “The Palestinians aren’t showing any sign of willingness to reach a practical and fair deal.”
The Health Ministry in Gaza identified the dead men as Ismail Abu Jouda, 23; Shaer Shanab, 24; and Abdel Shafi Abu Muammar, 33. Their deaths brought to 13 the number of Gazans killed this year by Israeli fire. Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad movement in Gaza, said in a statement that the three were affiliated with the group. Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces, said the deadly airstrike in the Gaza Strip occurred a few minutes after militants from Islamic Jihad fired at Israeli troops conducting routine operations “just on the western side of the fence” — inside Gaza.
“It was just the rapid response required to take the threat out of the equation,” Colonel Lerner said in an interview. “Ultimately, there is a price to pay: If you attack our soldiers, you’re putting yourself at risk.”
The Health Ministry in Gaza identified the dead men as Ismail Abu Jouda, 23; Shaer Shanab, 24; and Abdel Shafi Abu Muammar, 33.
Their deaths brought to 13 the number of Gazans killed this year by Israeli fire. Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad movement in Gaza, said in a statement that the three were affiliated with the group.
The group’s spokesman, Abu Ahmed, said that the 15-month-old cease-fire with Israel that ended eight days of violence in 2012 “has aged” and that Gaza’s militant groups “should study the truce seriously again.”The group’s spokesman, Abu Ahmed, said that the 15-month-old cease-fire with Israel that ended eight days of violence in 2012 “has aged” and that Gaza’s militant groups “should study the truce seriously again.”
Witnesses and officials in Gaza said Israeli tanks, bulldozers and troops were operating inside the border fence, which Palestinians consider a violation of the cease-fire agreement. Some reported increased Israeli military movement in the area after Hamas, the militant Islamic party that controls Gaza, issued a statement saying it had recovered a pilotless Israeli aircraft that crashed about 8 a.m. because of mechanical problems. Witnesses and officials in Gaza said Israeli tanks, bulldozers and troops were operating inside the border fence, which Palestinians consider a violation of the cease-fire agreement.
Colonel Lerner said that the crash of the surveillance drone had nothing to do with the fatal airstrike, and that the Israeli troops whom the Islamic Jihad members fired at had been conducting routine activities. He said the surveillance aircraft was a Skylark “microdrone,” approximately one yard by two yards, which soldiers carry and deploy as an intelligence tool that allows them to “see over the hill or around a corner.” Some reported increased Israeli military movement in the area after Hamas, the militant Islamic party that controls Gaza, issued a statement saying it had recovered a pilotless Israeli aircraft that crashed about 8 a.m. because of mechanical problems.
Colonel Lerner said that the crash of the surveillance drone had nothing to do with the fatal airstrike, and that the Israeli troops whom the Islamic Jihad members fired at had been conducting routine activities.
He said the surveillance aircraft was a Skylark “microdrone,” approximately one yard by two yards, which soldiers carry and deploy as an intelligence tool that allows them to “see over the hill or around a corner.”