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| Jerusalem: Palestinian van attack kills policeman | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A Palestinian driver has rammed a van into several pedestrians in Jerusalem, killing a policeman, hours after clashes at the city's holiest site. | |
| Officials say 13 people were injured. The driver was shot dead by police. | Officials say 13 people were injured. The driver was shot dead by police. |
| Hamas militants said they carried out the attack. Israel's prime minister said it was a result of "incitement" by the Palestinian Authority and Hamas. | Hamas militants said they carried out the attack. Israel's prime minister said it was a result of "incitement" by the Palestinian Authority and Hamas. |
| A similar car attack by a Palestinian took place in the same area two weeks ago which left a woman and a baby dead. | A similar car attack by a Palestinian took place in the same area two weeks ago which left a woman and a baby dead. |
| In a separate development later on Wednesday, a Palestinian motorist drove into a group of soldiers in the southern West Bank, injuring three of them. The incident happened near a Palestinian refugee camp, Israeli police said. Police said the driver fled the scene. | |
| Meanwhile Jordan has recalled its ambassador to Israel over what it called the "unprecedented Israeli escalation" at holy and sensitive sites in Jerusalem. | Meanwhile Jordan has recalled its ambassador to Israel over what it called the "unprecedented Israeli escalation" at holy and sensitive sites in Jerusalem. |
| As tensions have risen in the city, access to the Temple Mount/al-Haram al-Sharif compound has been intermittently restricted, with police at times barring male Muslim worshippers under the age of 50 from entering the site as a security measure. | As tensions have risen in the city, access to the Temple Mount/al-Haram al-Sharif compound has been intermittently restricted, with police at times barring male Muslim worshippers under the age of 50 from entering the site as a security measure. |
| The compound is known to Jews as the Temple Mount, the holiest site in Judaism, and to Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif. It contains the al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam. | The compound is known to Jews as the Temple Mount, the holiest site in Judaism, and to Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif. It contains the al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam. |
| Jordan also cited continued building of settlements by Israel in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, occupied by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war, and is to lodge a formal complaint to the UN Security Council in protest, reports say. | Jordan also cited continued building of settlements by Israel in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, occupied by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war, and is to lodge a formal complaint to the UN Security Council in protest, reports say. |
| The settlements are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this. | The settlements are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this. |
| 'Prolonged battle' | 'Prolonged battle' |
| The man killed in Wednesday's van attack was police Chief Inspector Jidaan Asad, 38, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said. | |
| The driver of the van - named as Ibrahim al-Akari - was from Shuafat refugee camp in the east of the city, police said. | |
| His Facebook page states that he is a member of Hamas, and the Twitter account for the group's armed wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, described him as a member and a martyr. | His Facebook page states that he is a member of Hamas, and the Twitter account for the group's armed wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, described him as a member and a martyr. |
| Hamas, the militant Islamist group dominant in Gaza, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party, agreed to form a unity government earlier this year - a move denounced by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu. | Hamas, the militant Islamist group dominant in Gaza, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party, agreed to form a unity government earlier this year - a move denounced by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu. |
| Hamas rejects Israel's right to exist and advocates what it calls "armed resistance" against the Jewish state. | Hamas rejects Israel's right to exist and advocates what it calls "armed resistance" against the Jewish state. |
| Mr Netanyahu said Wednesday's attack in Jerusalem was the result of incitement emanating from Mr Abbas and "his Hamas partners". | Mr Netanyahu said Wednesday's attack in Jerusalem was the result of incitement emanating from Mr Abbas and "his Hamas partners". |
| "We are in a prolonged battle in Jerusalem. I have no doubt we will win," Mr Netanyahu said. | "We are in a prolonged battle in Jerusalem. I have no doubt we will win," Mr Netanyahu said. |
| "We are deploying all the necessary forces to restore calm and security to all parts of the city." | "We are deploying all the necessary forces to restore calm and security to all parts of the city." |
| Hamas praised the attack as a "glorious operation", describing Mr Akari as a "hero" whose actions were a "natural response" to Israel's actions in east Jerusalem. | Hamas praised the attack as a "glorious operation", describing Mr Akari as a "hero" whose actions were a "natural response" to Israel's actions in east Jerusalem. |
| Two weeks ago a Palestinian from the Abu Tor area drove his car into a tram station, killing a baby and an Ecuadorean woman. | Two weeks ago a Palestinian from the Abu Tor area drove his car into a tram station, killing a baby and an Ecuadorean woman. |
| Holy site clashes | Holy site clashes |
| Earlier on Wednesday, dozens of masked protesters threw stones and launched fireworks at police near the non-Muslim visitors' entrance to the site, Israeli police said. | Earlier on Wednesday, dozens of masked protesters threw stones and launched fireworks at police near the non-Muslim visitors' entrance to the site, Israeli police said. |
| They said they managed to disperse the crowd. | They said they managed to disperse the crowd. |
| The fate of Jerusalem is one of the most contentious issues between Israel and the Palestinians. | The fate of Jerusalem is one of the most contentious issues between Israel and the Palestinians. |
| The Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state, while Israel regards the whole of Jerusalem as its "eternal and indivisible capital". | The Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state, while Israel regards the whole of Jerusalem as its "eternal and indivisible capital". |
| Israel occupied East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it in 1980 in a move not recognised internationally. | Israel occupied East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it in 1980 in a move not recognised internationally. |