Outbreak of violence between Palestinians and Israelis
The outbreak of violence between Palestinians, Israeli forces and Jewish settlers in recent weeks has worsened in October, raising fears of a third intifada, or uprising.
Here is a timeline of key events:
- CLASHES AT Al-AQSA MOSQUE COMPOUND -
September 13-15: Israeli police clash with Palestinian protesters at Jerusalem's sensitive Al-Aqsa mosque compound, which Jews call the Temple Mount. The violence coincides with celebrations for the Jewish New Year, or Rosh Hashanah.
Clashes resume September 27-28 as Jews begin celebrating the eight-day Sukkot holiday.
During that month, clashes also erupt in the Israeli-occupied West Bank between Palestinians and Israeli forces, and three Palestinians are killed.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declares "war" on stone-throwers while Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas warns of the risk of a new intifada, or uprising.
- KNIFE ATTACKS MULTIPLY -
On October 1, a couple of Jewish settlers are shot and killed as they drive between the settlements of Itamar and Elon Moreh in the north of the West Bank. Israel blames the Islamist group Hamas for the attack.
A series of knife attacks follow. On October 4-5, Israel takes the exceptional decision to close Jerusalem's Old City to Palestinians.
Since October 3, about 20 similar attacks have taken place, almost all by Palestinians without any apparent coordination.
- VIOLENCE SPREADS TO GAZA -
The violence spreads to the Gaza Strip, where seven Palestinian youths are shot dead by Israeli army fire as troops clash with protesters near the border fence.
Arab Israelis stage violent demonstrations in Jaffa and Tel-Aviv.
On October 10, Israel says it has thwarted a planned bomb attack in the West Bank, which would have been the first in the current cycle of violence. Israel raids Gaza the next day in response to a rocket attack, and kills a pregnant Palestinian and her young daughter.
- ATTACKS IN JERUSALEM -
On October 13, Jerusalem suffers its bloodiest day so far, with three people killed and several wounded in shooting and a car-and-knife attacks on Israelis.
One of the attacks saw an assailant open fire on a bus, marking the first assault with a gun in Jerusalem since the latest round of violence erupted.
- GENERAL STRIKE BY ARAB ISRAELIS -
Arab Israelis, who comprise 17.5 percent of the country's population and are the descendants of Palestinians who remained when Israel was created in 1948, plan a general strike on October 13 in support of the Palestinians who call for a "day of rage".
- VIOLENCE TOLL -
The surge of unrest since October 1 has left more than 25 Palestinians dead and claimed the lives of at least seven Israelis.