Israeli-Palestinian clashes persist as diplomats push for peace

Stone-throwing Palestinians clashed with Israeli soldiers in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and in the Gaza Strip during “Day of Rage” protests on Friday while diplomats tried to end more than three weeks of bloodshed. Israeli authorities also lifted restrictions on Friday that had banned men aged under 40 from using the flashpoint al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem’s walled Old City - a move seen as a bid to ease Muslim anger.

Of course it is better but there are still checkpoints and searches. There is still no respect.

Worshipper Wissam Abu Madi, 20, who said he believed a wave of attacks on Israelis would continue.

One of the worst waves of street violence in years was triggered in part by Palestinian anger over what they see as Jewish encroachment on the compound, Islam’s third holiest site and also revered by Jews as the location of two ancient temples. The decision to allow Muslims of all ages to pray at the site coincided with a diplomatic push by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to restore calm. He is expected to meet in Amman on Saturday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Jordan’s King Abdullah, who has a role as a custodian of the Muslim sacred sites in Jerusalem.

There is no substitute to direct talks.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

West Bank Middle East