Violence increases in Jerusalem's Old City as tensions between Palestinians and Israelis rise

Band only fanned the flames

An 18-year-old Palestinian woman was allegedly shot by an Israeli man on Wednesday, after she stabbed him during a brawl in Jerusalem's Old City.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online)  - Both parties were taken to the hospital. While the man did not receive serious injury, the woman was severely injured. The violent incident that transpired is just one among many others that have occurred over the past few weeks, including several fatalities. 

Aside from the reported attack on Wednesday, a man stabbed a soldier and proceeded to steal his weapon after getting off a bus in the city of Kiryat Gat. 
Other instances of extreme violence in Jerusalem and the West Bank last week include the deaths of four Palestinians and four Israelis, one of whom was identified as a 13-year-old boy. 
According to Israeli authorities, an Israeli couple was murdered in front of their children last week by a Palestinian gunman in a drive-by shooting. 
Tensions were high after Israel imposed a ban on non-resident Palestinians visiting the Old City on Sunday. The only people allowed entrance were citizens and people who worked, or studied there. 
The ban was enacted due to an increase in the number of alleged attacks on Israelis, but according to an Israeli spokeswoman, the ban was lifted following security assessments. 
There was also a ban, that has since been lifted, that stopped men under 50 years of age, from entering and praying in the sacred Al-Aqsa mosque compound in the Old City.
Israel officials believed young Palestinian men who were the ones most likely to participate in violence, so authorities decided to impose the ban, claiming it was necessary during times of extreme chaos. 
The Al-Aqsa mosque compound is valued by both Muslims and Jews, but has been the scene of recent demonstrations after Palestinians responded by barricading themselves inside the mosque, then throwing stones and fireworks at the Israeli police. 
According to the Red Crescent Medical Service, hundreds of Palestinians were wounded from the use of rubber bullets and live rounds in other demonstrations. Leaders from both sides have called on their people to end the violence. 
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stated his people do not desire any further escalations and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would use a "strong hand" to stop violence.  

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