Two Palestinians and an Israeli were killed in a series of attacks and clashes in the West Bank on Friday, in the latest uptick in the nine-month wave of violence. The violence follows two attacks on Thursday, and comes as Muslims near the end of their holy fasting month of Ramadan. It also comes as the Middle East diplomatic quartet said in a much-awaited report aimed at reviving peace talks that Israel should stop building settlements and the Palestinians should cease incitement to violence.
At least 214 Palestinians, 34 Israelis, two Americans, an Eritrean and a Sudanese have been killed since the violence erupted last October. An Israeli man was killed and three family members wounded on Friday when a suspected Palestinian "terrorist" opened fire on their car south of Hebron in the occupied West Bank, the army said. A woman and 14-year-old girl were taken to hospital in a serious condition, as was a lightly wounded 15-year-old boy. The shooting came shortly after the Palestinian health ministry said a man had died from tear gas fired by Israeli forces elsewhere in the territory. AFP journalists at the Qalandia crossing between the West Bank city of Ramallah and Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem said Palestinians waiting to cross to pray at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound began throwing stones at Israeli security forces who responded with tear gas and sponge-tipped bullets.