To continue on our reporting on terrorist violence in Israel, spurred by the lack of American leadership in the Middle East, on Friday the first rocket in months from Gaza landed in Israel. It seems Hamas, which controls the territory, has decided to get involved in the outbreak of attacks on Jews in Jerusalem and elsewhere in the Jewish State.
One thousand Palestinian demonstrators also stormed the barrier fence, throwing rocks, grenades and rolling burning tires at Israeli soldiers, who responded with rubber bullets and then live fire, killing six, according to the BBC. Other Palestinians were killed while committing acts of violence as well. Israel arrested Jewish citizens who committed reprisals against for Arabs in Israel.
Four Israeli citizens have been killed and dozens, including policemen, injured in knife attacks that seem to be coordinated across the country. Jerusalem has been especially violent as protests over Israeli restrictions on the Temple Mount escalate.
Hamas’ chief in Gaza on Friday called the spreading violence an Intifada, or uprising, and urged further unrest, according to Al Jazeera. Also, in a sermon for weekly Muslim prayers at a mosque in Gaza City, Ismail Haniya said: “We are calling for the strengthening and increasing of the Intifada.”
“It is the only path that will lead to liberation,” he said. “Gaza will fulfill its role in the Jerusalem Intifada, and it is more than ready for confrontation.”
The resumption of rocket attacks from Gaza is significant as these artillery barrages were the main cause of Israeli troops invading Gaza to quell the violence in 2014 and destroy tunnels that had been built to allow terrorists to enter Israel undetected from the territory.
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