Brief clashes were reported between Israeli Police and Palestinians at the Al-Aqsa mosque on Sunday. No serious injuries were reported and Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett ordered the Police to continue allowing jews to ascend temple mount on the first day of Tisha B'Av.

Clashes spark at Jerusalem's holy site after Palestinians opposed Jewish visits

With flashing lasers, honking horns and choking&nbsp;smoke&nbsp;from burning tyres, the latest tactics used by Palestinian protesters are dusk till dawn rallies to make life unbearable for Israeli&nbsp;settlers.

"They will not stay on our land," said one protester, a scarf wrapped around his face to conceal his identity from Israeli troops, near the small Palestinian town of Beita in the occupied West Bank.

Across the valley is the newly built Israeli&nbsp;settlers' outpost of&nbsp;Eviatar.

Some 50 families arrived last month, erecting huts and tents and bringing in trailer caravans in defiance of international law and even Israeli restrictions.

"When they set up their base... we thought they would stay a day or two," said Raad, a young man from Beita with a thick black beard, who declined to give his second name for fear of arrest.

But in less than 48 hours, "they put in place more than 20 caravans -- which means that they intend to stay," he added.

Palestinians&nbsp;hold regular protests on Fridays, the weekly day of rest, against Israel's occupation of the West Bank, which stretches back to the Six-Day War of 1967.

But in recent days, the residents of Beita -- a town of some 17,00 people south of Nablus -- have switched tactics.

Instead of mobilising during the day, they hold nighttime protests to keep the&nbsp;settlers&nbsp;awake.

'Carcinogenic&nbsp;smoke'

Jewish&nbsp;settlers&nbsp;arrived on the hill outside Beita in early May.

Soon after, daily protests began, which repeatedly ended in clashes with Israeli troops.

Four&nbsp;Palestinians&nbsp;including a teenager have been killed, and more than 300 injured, the Palestinian Red Crescent said.

According to villagers, five people have been arrested since the night rallies began.

When the evening light slants through the olive trees, trucks arrive piled with tyres, and young men drag them onto roaring pyres.

The sky turns dark, and the air unbreathable, the wind blowing it towards the outpost.

Later, protesters start small fires and wave burning torches, lighting the hillside opposite the settlement with a terrifying wall of flames.

Some direct intense green laser beams towards the settlement, dancing the light at the windows.

Others set off fireworks, the explosions echoing above.

Tsvi Succot, one of the outpost's founders, called the protests "simply crazy", in a post on Twitter.

"We're living in a cloud of carcinogenic&nbsp;smoke...&nbsp;Kids are coughing and getting sick," Succot said.

"They're talking about evicting us, destroying our community. This can't go on. It's their village that should be destroyed."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/go-to-india-or-us-philippines-president-rodrigo-duterte-warns-anti-vaxxers-393537">Also Read |&nbsp;'Go to India or US': Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte warns anti-vaxxers</a>

Test for new government&nbsp;

Under international law, all Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank -- where some 650,000 Israelis now live -- are illegal.

But Eviatar, named after a settler stabbed to death near Beita by a Palestinian in 2013, also breaches all Israeli restrictions too.

The first&nbsp;settlers&nbsp;arrived after a young settler was shot dead by a Palestinian nearby.

Soon after, daily protests began.

Defence Minister Benny Gantz ordered the settlement be removed, but the decision was frozen by Benjamin Netanyahu, then prime minister.

Earlier this month, Netanyahu was ousted by right-wing nationalist Naftali Bennett.

But while Bennett himself once led a settler organisation, he is now the prime minister of an ideologically disparate coalition government with sharply divided opinions.

The settlement could pose a major political test. It is "bad for the possibility of future peace", Israeli anti-occupation group&nbsp;Peace Now said in a statement.

"A small group of people is creating facts on the ground that affect dramatically Israel's security and its foreign policy without any authority," Peace Now added. "The new government must not accept that."

'Guardians of the Mountain'

The protesters are convinced their tactic will work.

"They will leave," said Ghaleb Abu Zaitoun, 77, contemplating the thick&nbsp;smoke, a white keffiyeh scarf around his face.

"This peaceful action will force them to leave," he added. "It is better than a physical confrontation because we do not lose our young people."

Many of the men -- generally considerably younger than Zaitoun -- wear scarves around their faces, and shirts emblazoned with the slogan "Guardians of the Mountain" on their backs.

One young man, his face masked and clothes smeared in soot, rolled another tyre into the flames.

"We have weapons, we could use them," he said, but he added that the strength of the protest was that it was carried&nbsp;out&nbsp;by local residents, not militia forces.

"We will continue to do this until the&nbsp;smoke&nbsp;from the rubber hits their rooms," he said.

When the&nbsp;Palestinians&nbsp;come too close to the outpost, Israeli soldiers fire tear gas to drive them back.

Then as dawn breaks, everyone goes home to catch some sleep, ready to start once again at dusk.

With flashing lasers, honking horns and choking smoke from burning tyres, the latest tactics used by Palestinian protesters are dusk till dawn rallies to make life unbearable for Israeli settlers.

With flashing lasers, honking horns and choking smoke from burning tyres, the latest tactics used by Palestinian protesters are dusk till dawn rallies to make life unbearable for Israeli settlers. "They will not stay on our land," said one protester, a scarf wrapped around his face to conceal his identity from Israeli troops, near the small Palestinian town of Beita in the occupied West Bank. Across the valley is the newly built Israeli settlers' outpost of Eviatar. Some 50 families arrived last month, erecting huts and tents and bringing in trailer caravans in defiance of international law and even Israeli restrictions. "When they set up their base... we thought they would stay a day or two," said Raad, a young man from Beita with a thick black beard, who declined to give his second name for fear of arrest. But in less than 48 hours, "they put in place more than 20 caravans -- which means that they intend to stay," he added. Palestinians hold regular protests on Fridays, the weekly day of rest, against Israel's occupation of the West Bank, which stretches back to the Six-Day War of 1967. But in recent days, the residents of Beita -- a town of some 17,00 people south of Nablus -- have switched tactics. Instead of mobilising during the day, they hold nighttime protests to keep the settlers awake. 'Carcinogenic smoke' Jewish settlers arrived on the hill outside Beita in early May. Soon after, daily protests began, which repeatedly ended in clashes with Israeli troops. Four Palestinians including a teenager have been killed, and more than 300 injured, the Palestinian Red Crescent said. According to villagers, five people have been arrested since the night rallies began. When the evening light slants through the olive trees, trucks arrive piled with tyres, and young men drag them onto roaring pyres. The sky turns dark, and the air unbreathable, the wind blowing it towards the outpost. Later, protesters start small fires and wave burning torches, lighting the hillside opposite the settlement with a terrifying wall of flames. Some direct intense green laser beams towards the settlement, dancing the light at the windows. Others set off fireworks, the explosions echoing above. Tsvi Succot, one of the outpost's founders, called the protests "simply crazy", in a post on Twitter. "We're living in a cloud of carcinogenic smoke... Kids are coughing and getting sick," Succot said. "They're talking about evicting us, destroying our community. This can't go on. It's their village that should be destroyed." Also Read | 'Go to India or US': Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte warns anti-vaxxers Test for new government Under international law, all Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank -- where some 650,000 Israelis now live -- are illegal. But Eviatar, named after a settler stabbed to death near Beita by a Palestinian in 2013, also breaches all Israeli restrictions too. The first settlers arrived after a young settler was shot dead by a Palestinian nearby. Soon after, daily protests began. Defence Minister Benny Gantz ordered the settlement be removed, but the decision was frozen by Benjamin Netanyahu, then prime minister. Earlier this month, Netanyahu was ousted by right-wing nationalist Naftali Bennett. But while Bennett himself once led a settler organisation, he is now the prime minister of an ideologically disparate coalition government with sharply divided opinions. The settlement could pose a major political test. It is "bad for the possibility of future peace", Israeli anti-occupation group Peace Now said in a statement. "A small group of people is creating facts on the ground that affect dramatically Israel's security and its foreign policy without any authority," Peace Now added. "The new government must not accept that." 'Guardians of the Mountain' The protesters are convinced their tactic will work. "They will leave," said Ghaleb Abu Zaitoun, 77, contemplating the thick smoke, a white keffiyeh scarf around his face. "This peaceful action will force them to leave," he added. "It is better than a physical confrontation because we do not lose our young people." Many of the men -- generally considerably younger than Zaitoun -- wear scarves around their faces, and shirts emblazoned with the slogan "Guardians of the Mountain" on their backs. One young man, his face masked and clothes smeared in soot, rolled another tyre into the flames. "We have weapons, we could use them," he said, but he added that the strength of the protest was that it was carried out by local residents, not militia forces. "We will continue to do this until the smoke from the rubber hits their rooms," he said. When the Palestinians come too close to the outpost, Israeli soldiers fire tear gas to drive them back. Then as dawn breaks, everyone goes home to catch some sleep, ready to start once again at dusk.

Tyres, fires, lasers: Palestinians smoke out settlers

The Palestinian Authority (PA) cancelled a deal on Friday to receive soon-to-expire COVID-19 vaccines from Israel after an initial Israeli shipment showed an expiration date sooner than had been agreed, the PA health minister said. 
 
Israel and the PA announced a vaccine swap deal earlier on Friday that would have seen Israel send up to 1.4 million Pfizer-BioNTech doses to the PA, in exchange for receiving a reciprocal number of doses from the PA later this year. 
 
The doses were due to 'expire soon', Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's office said in a statement announcing the deal. The PA said they had been 'approved in order to speed up the vaccination process' in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. 
 
"They told us the expiration date was in July or August, which would allow lots of time for use," PA Health Minister Mai Alkaila told reporters later on Friday. 
 
"But (the expiration) turned out to be in June. That's not enough time to use them, so we rejected them," she said. 
 
The PA cancelled the deal over the date issue, a PA spokesman said, and sent the initial shipment of around 90,000 doses back to Israel. 
 
Bennett's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 
 
Rights groups have criticised Israel, which led one of the world's swiftest vaccination campaigns, for not doing more to ensure Palestinian access to doses in the West Bank and Gaza, territory it captured in a 1967 war. 
 
Israeli officials argue that under the Oslo peace accords, the PA health ministry is responsible for vaccinating people in Gaza and parts of the West Bank where it has limited self-rule. 
 
The vaccine deal was among initial policy moves towards the Palestinians by Bennett, who was sworn in on Sunday and replaced veteran leader Benjamin Netanyahu. 
 
Around 55% of Israel's 9.3 million population are fully vaccinated - a coverage rate largely unchanged by this month's expansion of eligibility to include 12- to 15-year-olds. 
 
Some 30% of eligible Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, home to a combined 5.2 million people, have received at least one vaccine dose, according to Palestinian officials. 
 
According to a poll released on Tuesday by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, 40% of Palestinians are willing to take the vaccine once it is available, while 35% say they and their families are not willing to get vaccinated. 
 
The Palestinians have received vaccine doses from Israel, Russia, China, the United Arab Emirates and the global COVAX vaccine-sharing initiative. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

The Palestinian Authority (PA) cancelled a deal on Friday to receive soon-to-expire COVID-19 vaccines from Israel after an initial Israeli shipment showed an expiration date sooner than had been agreed, the PA health minister said.

The Palestinian Authority (PA) cancelled a deal on Friday to receive soon-to-expire COVID-19 vaccines from Israel after an initial Israeli shipment showed an expiration date sooner than had been agreed, the PA health minister said. Israel and the PA announced a vaccine swap deal earlier on Friday that would have seen Israel send up to 1.4 million Pfizer-BioNTech doses to the PA, in exchange for receiving a reciprocal number of doses from the PA later this year. The doses were due to 'expire soon', Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's office said in a statement announcing the deal. The PA said they had been 'approved in order to speed up the vaccination process' in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. "They told us the expiration date was in July or August, which would allow lots of time for use," PA Health Minister Mai Alkaila told reporters later on Friday. "But (the expiration) turned out to be in June. That's not enough time to use them, so we rejected them," she said. The PA cancelled the deal over the date issue, a PA spokesman said, and sent the initial shipment of around 90,000 doses back to Israel. Bennett's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Rights groups have criticised Israel, which led one of the world's swiftest vaccination campaigns, for not doing more to ensure Palestinian access to doses in the West Bank and Gaza, territory it captured in a 1967 war. Israeli officials argue that under the Oslo peace accords, the PA health ministry is responsible for vaccinating people in Gaza and parts of the West Bank where it has limited self-rule. The vaccine deal was among initial policy moves towards the Palestinians by Bennett, who was sworn in on Sunday and replaced veteran leader Benjamin Netanyahu. Around 55% of Israel's 9.3 million population are fully vaccinated - a coverage rate largely unchanged by this month's expansion of eligibility to include 12- to 15-year-olds. Some 30% of eligible Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, home to a combined 5.2 million people, have received at least one vaccine dose, according to Palestinian officials. According to a poll released on Tuesday by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, 40% of Palestinians are willing to take the vaccine once it is available, while 35% say they and their families are not willing to get vaccinated. The Palestinians have received vaccine doses from Israel, Russia, China, the United Arab Emirates and the global COVAX vaccine-sharing initiative. (With inputs from agencies)

Palestinians cancel deal for near-expired COVID-19 vaccines from Israel

Far-right Israeli groups will march in and around East Jerusalem's Old City on Tuesday in a flag-waving procession that risks igniting tensions with Palestinians in the contested city and rekindling violence between Israel and Gaza militants. 
 
Assailing the march as a 'provocation', Palestinian factions have called for a 'Day of Rage' in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Gaza's Islamist rulers Hamas have warned of renewed hostilities if it goes ahead. 
 
"We warn of the dangerous repercussions that may result from the occupying power's intention to allow extremist Israeli settlers to carry out the Flag March in occupied Jerusalem tomorrow," Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said on Twitter. 
 
An original march was re-routed to avoid the Old City's Muslim Quarter on May 10 when tensions in Jerusalem led Gaza's Islamist rulers Hamas to fire rockets towards the holy city, helping set off 11 days of deadly fighting. 
 
Israeli rightists accused their government of caving into Hamas by changing its route. They rescheduled the procession after a Gaza truce took hold. 
 
Tuesday's march, due to begin at 6:30 pm&nbsp;(1530 GMT), poses an immediate challenge for new Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who took office on Sunday and brought veteran leader Benjamin Netanyahu's record-long rule to an end. 
 
Bennett's internal security minister approved the march on Monday. 
 
A route change or cancellation of the procession could expose Bennett's patchwork coalition to accusations from Netanyahu, now in the opposition, and his right-wing allies of giving Hamas veto power over events in Jerusalem. 
 
"The time has come for Israel to threaten Hamas and not for Hamas to threaten Israel," prominent far-right lawmaker Itamar Ben-Gvir said on Twitter. 
 
An official route for the march is yet to be announced. Israeli media reported that police will allow participants to congregate outside the Old City's Damascus Gate but will not let them cross through it to the Muslim Quarter, which has an overwhelmingly Palestinian population. 
 
Tensions are sure to be high whether or not the route is changed. Palestinian protests were planned for 6 pm&nbsp;(1500 GMT) across the Gaza Strip, and Hamas and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction have called on Palestinians to flock to the Old City to counter the march. 
 
The Israeli military has made preparations for a possible escalation in Gaza over the march, Israeli media reported, and the US&nbsp;Embassy in Jerusalem prohibited its employees and their families from entering the Old City on Tuesday. 
 
Palestinians want East Jerusalem, which includes the Old City, to be the capital of a state they seek to establish in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. 
 
Israel, which annexed East Jerusalem in a move that has not won international recognition after capturing the area in a 1967 war, regards the entire city as its capital. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Far-right Israeli groups will march in and around East Jerusalem's Old City on Tuesday in a flag-waving procession that risks igniting tensions with Palestinians in the contested city and rekindling violence between Israel and Gaza militants.

Far-right Israeli groups will march in and around East Jerusalem's Old City on Tuesday in a flag-waving procession that risks igniting tensions with Palestinians in the contested city and rekindling violence between Israel and Gaza militants. Assailing the march as a 'provocation', Palestinian factions have called for a 'Day of Rage' in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Gaza's Islamist rulers Hamas have warned of renewed hostilities if it goes ahead. "We warn of the dangerous repercussions that may result from the occupying power's intention to allow extremist Israeli settlers to carry out the Flag March in occupied Jerusalem tomorrow," Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said on Twitter. An original march was re-routed to avoid the Old City's Muslim Quarter on May 10 when tensions in Jerusalem led Gaza's Islamist rulers Hamas to fire rockets towards the holy city, helping set off 11 days of deadly fighting. Israeli rightists accused their government of caving into Hamas by changing its route. They rescheduled the procession after a Gaza truce took hold. Tuesday's march, due to begin at 6:30 pm (1530 GMT), poses an immediate challenge for new Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who took office on Sunday and brought veteran leader Benjamin Netanyahu's record-long rule to an end. Bennett's internal security minister approved the march on Monday. A route change or cancellation of the procession could expose Bennett's patchwork coalition to accusations from Netanyahu, now in the opposition, and his right-wing allies of giving Hamas veto power over events in Jerusalem. "The time has come for Israel to threaten Hamas and not for Hamas to threaten Israel," prominent far-right lawmaker Itamar Ben-Gvir said on Twitter. An official route for the march is yet to be announced. Israeli media reported that police will allow participants to congregate outside the Old City's Damascus Gate but will not let them cross through it to the Muslim Quarter, which has an overwhelmingly Palestinian population. Tensions are sure to be high whether or not the route is changed. Palestinian protests were planned for 6 pm (1500 GMT) across the Gaza Strip, and Hamas and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction have called on Palestinians to flock to the Old City to counter the march. The Israeli military has made preparations for a possible escalation in Gaza over the march, Israeli media reported, and the US Embassy in Jerusalem prohibited its employees and their families from entering the Old City on Tuesday. Palestinians want East Jerusalem, which includes the Old City, to be the capital of a state they seek to establish in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. Israel, which annexed East Jerusalem in a move that has not won international recognition after capturing the area in a 1967 war, regards the entire city as its capital. (With inputs from agencies)

Israeli nationalists to march in East Jerusalem, Palestinians plan 'Day of Rage'

Palestinian animal welfare groups are tending to street dogs and cats wounded during the 11-day conflict between Hamas militants and Israel, which saw Gaza hit by hundreds of Israeli air strikes.

As Gaza truce holds, Palestinians turn to helping wounded animals

British singer and songwriter Dua Lipa recently spoke out after being accused of anti-Semitism due to her support of Palestinians in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. 
 
According to Fox News, the singer is taking an organization to task after it paid for a full-page ad in a news outlet that called her anti-Semitic for her support of Palestinians, saying it used her name shamelessly to "advance their ugly campaign with falsehoods and blatant misrepresentations."In the rambling ad, which appeared in Saturday`s newspaper in the main section, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, the head of the World Values Network, named Lipa, and the models Bella and Gigi Hadid as three "mega-influencers" who have "accused Israel of ethnic cleansing" and "vilified the Jewish State."Bella Hadid has previously shown her support for the Palestinian people on social media. 
 
Lipa took to Twitter on Saturday afternoon to "reject the false and appalling allegations" and said the World Values Network twisted what she stands for."I utterly reject the false and appalling allegations that were published today in the New York Times advertisement taken out by the World Values Network," she began her post. 
 
Dua further continued, "This is the price you pay for defending Palestinian human rights against an Israeli government whose actions in Palestine both Human Rights Watch and the Israeli human rights group B`Tselem accuse of persecution and discrimination." 
 
She concluded the post by adding, "I take this stance because I believe that everyone - Jews, Muslims and Christians - have the right to live in peace as equal citizens of a state they choose. The World Values Network are shamelessly using my name to advance their ugly campaign with falsehoods and blatant misrepresentations of who I am and what I stand for.I stand in solidarity with all oppressed people and reject all forms of racism." 
 
Tensions increased in the Middle East since May 10, when Hamas militants in Gaza fired long-range rockets toward Jerusalem. The barrage came after days of clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. 
 
As per Fox News, a cease-fire was declared on Friday. The 11-day war left more than 250 dead, the vast of whom were majorly Palestinians, and also brought widespread devastation to the already impoverished Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

British singer and songwriter Dua Lipa recently spoke out after being accused of anti-Semitism due to her support of Palestinians in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

British singer and songwriter Dua Lipa recently spoke out after being accused of anti-Semitism due to her support of Palestinians in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. According to Fox News, the singer is taking an organization to task after it paid for a full-page ad in a news outlet that called her anti-Semitic for her support of Palestinians, saying it used her name shamelessly to "advance their ugly campaign with falsehoods and blatant misrepresentations."In the rambling ad, which appeared in Saturday`s newspaper in the main section, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, the head of the World Values Network, named Lipa, and the models Bella and Gigi Hadid as three "mega-influencers" who have "accused Israel of ethnic cleansing" and "vilified the Jewish State."Bella Hadid has previously shown her support for the Palestinian people on social media. Lipa took to Twitter on Saturday afternoon to "reject the false and appalling allegations" and said the World Values Network twisted what she stands for."I utterly reject the false and appalling allegations that were published today in the New York Times advertisement taken out by the World Values Network," she began her post. Dua further continued, "This is the price you pay for defending Palestinian human rights against an Israeli government whose actions in Palestine both Human Rights Watch and the Israeli human rights group B`Tselem accuse of persecution and discrimination." She concluded the post by adding, "I take this stance because I believe that everyone - Jews, Muslims and Christians - have the right to live in peace as equal citizens of a state they choose. The World Values Network are shamelessly using my name to advance their ugly campaign with falsehoods and blatant misrepresentations of who I am and what I stand for.I stand in solidarity with all oppressed people and reject all forms of racism." Tensions increased in the Middle East since May 10, when Hamas militants in Gaza fired long-range rockets toward Jerusalem. The barrage came after days of clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. As per Fox News, a cease-fire was declared on Friday. The 11-day war left more than 250 dead, the vast of whom were majorly Palestinians, and also brought widespread devastation to the already impoverished Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

Dua Lipa refutes anti-Semitic allegations after extending support to Palestinians

Jerusalem descended into chaos after Israeli police unleashed a wave of violence on Palestinian protesters- injuring more than 300 of them. Palki Sharma tells you why Palestinians are protesting and how the world has reacted to Israel's crackdown.

Gravitas: Hundreds injured as Israeli cops storm Al-Aqsa mosque

Twenty-two Palestinians were wounded in overnight clashes with Israeli police in annexed east Jerusalem, as tensions flare over a controversial land rights case. Police confirmed 15 arrests in the latest unrest to rock the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood near Jerusalem's walled Old City, where land disputes between Palestinians and Jewish settlers have fuelled hostility for years.

Jerusalem: 22 Palestinians wounded & 15 arrested during clashes over land rights

Over hundred Palestinians have been injured in over night clashes with Israeli police. 20 police officers have injured, 3 of them have been rushed to hospital.

Clashes broke out between Palestinians and Israeli police

Tensions erupt as Morocco & Israel normalise ties. United States gifts new map of Morocco to King Mohammed VI. Watch this video to know more.

Islamist groups support Palestinians, govt coalition parties back Israel deal

Saeb Erekat, a veteran peace negotiator and prominent international spokesman for the Palestinians, died on Tuesday aged 65, weeks after contracting COVID-19.

WION Fineprint: Palestinians spokesman Saeb Erekat dies after contracting COVID-19

Several new seaside cafes bearing the names of dream travel destinations are the newest entertainment venues serving thousands of Palestinians living in the blockaded Gaza strip.

'Dream destination' cafes offer taste of paradise in blockaded Gaza Strip

Palestinians are worried their restricted access to the salty waters of the Dead Sea and its mineral-rich beaches could be cut further if Israel annexes land in the occupied West Bank.

Israel, citing support from U.S. President Donald Trump, has announced plans to extend sovereignty over parts of the West Bank - including the Jordan Valley, which partly borders the Dead Sea. Palestinians have voiced outrage at the proposal.

The Dead Sea is a popular destination where bathers float in hypersaline waters and use the nutrient-rich mud on their skin. Its shores border Israel, Jordan and the West Bank.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-thousands-march-against-pm-benjamin-netanyahus-plans-303958">Also read|&nbsp;Israel: Thousands march against PM Benjamin Netanyahu's plans</a>

"This place is a blessing for all Palestinians, but if there will be annexation it will be hard for them to reach here. They may need permits," said Musa Farah, a lifeguard at one of the small, Israeli-run resorts that dot the Dead Sea`s West Bank coast.

Even some owners of Israeli resorts - set up after Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Middle East war - are concerned they could lose customers under the annexation plan.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israels-netanyahu-mulls-two-phase-west-bank-annexation-306513">Also read|&nbsp;Israel's Netanyahu mulls two-phase West Bank annexation</a>

"My business will be very much affected," said Dina Dagan, owner of the Biankini Village Resort. "The Israeli government should know that my business depends on the Palestinians who visit here. This place is open for Jews and Arabs."

During peace talks - stalled since 2014 - the Palestinians have sought to gain some control over part of the Dead Sea coastline and set up resorts, which they see as a potential boon for their economy.

The Palestinians have long sought a state in the West Bank and Gaza, with East Jerusalem as its capital. 
Most countries view Israeli settlements in occupied territory as illegal. Israel rejects this.

Palestinians are worried their restricted access to the salty waters of the Dead Sea and its mineral-rich beaches could be cut further if Israel annexes land in the occupied West Bank.

Palestinians are worried their restricted access to the salty waters of the Dead Sea and its mineral-rich beaches could be cut further if Israel annexes land in the occupied West Bank. Israel, citing support from U.S. President Donald Trump, has announced plans to extend sovereignty over parts of the West Bank - including the Jordan Valley, which partly borders the Dead Sea. Palestinians have voiced outrage at the proposal. The Dead Sea is a popular destination where bathers float in hypersaline waters and use the nutrient-rich mud on their skin. Its shores border Israel, Jordan and the West Bank. Also read| Israel: Thousands march against PM Benjamin Netanyahu's plans "This place is a blessing for all Palestinians, but if there will be annexation it will be hard for them to reach here. They may need permits," said Musa Farah, a lifeguard at one of the small, Israeli-run resorts that dot the Dead Sea`s West Bank coast. Even some owners of Israeli resorts - set up after Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Middle East war - are concerned they could lose customers under the annexation plan. Also read| Israel's Netanyahu mulls two-phase West Bank annexation "My business will be very much affected," said Dina Dagan, owner of the Biankini Village Resort. "The Israeli government should know that my business depends on the Palestinians who visit here. This place is open for Jews and Arabs." During peace talks - stalled since 2014 - the Palestinians have sought to gain some control over part of the Dead Sea coastline and set up resorts, which they see as a potential boon for their economy. The Palestinians have long sought a state in the West Bank and Gaza, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Most countries view Israeli settlements in occupied territory as illegal. Israel rejects this.

Palestinians fear Israeli annexation could further limit Dead Sea access

Thousands of Israelis took to streets to protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to extend sovereignty over parts of the occupied West Bank, de-facto annexation of land that the Palestinians seek for a state.

Israelis protest against annexation of West Bank

A Palestinian artist uses her time during a 14-day quarantine to create educational drawings for children, showing them proper methods of protecting themselves against the coronavirus.

Palestinian artist educates children on coronavirus using cartoons

Palestinians in Gaza this year are facing the prospect of celebrations without the usual large gatherings for family meals or evening prayers, known as Tarawih. Palestinian officials have ordered the closure of schools, wedding halls, restaurants and mosques, sending tens of thousands into unemployment.

Palestinians in Gaza complete Ramzan shopping

At&nbsp;least&nbsp;two&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/latest-world-news-israel-strikes-in-gaza-after-palestinians-fire-projectiles-278765">Palestinians&nbsp;</a>were&nbsp;killed&nbsp;in the occupied West Bank and&nbsp;16&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/donald-trumps-peace-plan-puts-israel-on-the-cutting-edge-278513">Israelis&nbsp;</a>were&nbsp;hurt&nbsp;on Thursday in a surge of&nbsp;violence&nbsp;that erupted amid Palestinian anger at a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/donald-trumps-peace-plan-puts-israel-on-the-cutting-edge-278513">US&nbsp;peace&nbsp;plan</a>.

In Jerusalem, an Arab citizen of Israel was&nbsp;killed&nbsp;after he shot and slightly wounded an Israeli paramilitary border policeman at an entrance to the walled Old City, Israeli authorities said, calling the attack politically motivated.

The peace proposal announced by US&nbsp;President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-takes-impeachment-victory-lap-over-vicious-democrats-279141">Donald&nbsp;Trump</a>&nbsp;on January&nbsp;28 would give Israel most of what it has sought during decades of conflict, including the disputed holy city of Jerusalem and nearly all the occupied land on which it has built settlements.

With&nbsp;violence&nbsp;on the rise, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/car-ramming-incident-in-jerusalem-to-be-investigated-as-terror-attack-israeli-police-278974">Israeli military</a> said it was sending reinforcements to the West Bank, where Israeli troops in the city of Jenin shot dead a 19-year-old man during clashes.&nbsp;Palestinians&nbsp;said he had thrown rocks at soldiers who came to demolish the home of a Palestinian involved in the 2018 killing of a Jewish settler.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/car-ramming-incident-in-jerusalem-to-be-investigated-as-terror-attack-israeli-police-278974">Soldiers target of attack in car ramming incident in Jerusalem: Israel Army</a>

In a separate incident in Jenin, a Palestinian officer in the police station was&nbsp;killed&nbsp;by what Palestinian authorities said was Israeli gunfire. Israeli officials did not comment, and Israeli media reported he was shot by troops by mistake.

In a scene reminiscent of a wave of Palestinian street attacks in 2015, a car ran down Israeli soldiers on a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/donald-trumps-peace-plan-puts-israel-on-the-cutting-edge-278513">Jerusalem </a>sidewalk, injuring at&nbsp;least&nbsp;14 of them, Israeli police said.

The assailant fled and was arrested later in the day, the Israeli military said, without immediately identifying the driver. Israel's YNet news website identified him as a 25-year-old Palestinian.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/donald-trumps-peace-plan-puts-israel-on-the-cutting-edge-278513">Donald Trump's peace plan puts Israel on the cutting edge</a>

On a road to a Jewish settlement in the West Bank, a suspected Palestinian gunman slightly wounded an Israeli soldier before fleeing, the Israeli military said.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned Israel for the deaths, linking them to what&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;has billed as the "deal of the century".

Trump&nbsp;senior adviser Jared Kushner, the face of the US&nbsp;plan, said Abbas bore some responsibility for the surge in&nbsp;violence.

"I think he does have responsibility," Kushner said of Abbas moments after briefing United Nations Security Council ambassadors on the&nbsp;plan's details. "He calls for days of rage in response and he said that before he even saw the&nbsp;plan."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/jared-kushner-to-present-peace-plan-details-to-unsc-278479">Kushner </a>added that he met personally with Abbas four times as he was crafting the proposal, but "they chose not to meet with us again."

Also watch: Jared Kushner to present peace plan details to UNSC

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/jared-kushner-to-present-peace-plan-details-to-unsc-278479/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The&nbsp;Palestinians, who have long shunned the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/donald-trumps-peace-plan-puts-israel-on-the-cutting-edge-278513">Trump&nbsp;</a>administration, accusing it of bias towards Israel, say the&nbsp;plan&nbsp;falls far short of their demands for a viable independent state and other rights.

Israel supports the&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;plan. The Arab League opposes it, while the European Union has rejected parts of it.

Visiting Israeli security forces in the West Bank after Thursday's incidents, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also accused Abbas of inciting&nbsp;violence.

"We will do everything necessary to protect our security, to define our borders and to ensure our future," Netanyahu said in a statement. "We will do it with you or without you."

On Wednesday, Israeli troops shot dead a 17-year-old Palestinian elsewhere in the West Bank, saying he had thrown a firebomb at them during a violent protest against&nbsp;Trump's&nbsp;plan. He was the first fatality since the blueprint was announced.

The Israel-Gaza border has also been shaken by several days of&nbsp;violence.

Palestinians&nbsp;have launched mortar fire, rockets and balloon-borne explosives into Israel, causing panic but no serious casualties. Israel has carried out nightly airstrikes against sites belonging to Gaza's ruling Hamas Islamists.

At least two Palestinians were killed in the occupied West Bank and 16 Israelis were hurt on Thursday in a surge of violence that erupted amid Palestinian anger at a US peace plan.

At least two Palestinians were killed in the occupied West Bank and 16 Israelis were hurt on Thursday in a surge of violence that erupted amid Palestinian anger at a US peace plan. In Jerusalem, an Arab citizen of Israel was killed after he shot and slightly wounded an Israeli paramilitary border policeman at an entrance to the walled Old City, Israeli authorities said, calling the attack politically motivated. The peace proposal announced by US President Donald Trump on January 28 would give Israel most of what it has sought during decades of conflict, including the disputed holy city of Jerusalem and nearly all the occupied land on which it has built settlements. With violence on the rise, the Israeli military said it was sending reinforcements to the West Bank, where Israeli troops in the city of Jenin shot dead a 19-year-old man during clashes. Palestinians said he had thrown rocks at soldiers who came to demolish the home of a Palestinian involved in the 2018 killing of a Jewish settler. Also read: Soldiers target of attack in car ramming incident in Jerusalem: Israel Army In a separate incident in Jenin, a Palestinian officer in the police station was killed by what Palestinian authorities said was Israeli gunfire. Israeli officials did not comment, and Israeli media reported he was shot by troops by mistake. In a scene reminiscent of a wave of Palestinian street attacks in 2015, a car ran down Israeli soldiers on a Jerusalem sidewalk, injuring at least 14 of them, Israeli police said. The assailant fled and was arrested later in the day, the Israeli military said, without immediately identifying the driver. Israel's YNet news website identified him as a 25-year-old Palestinian. Also read: Donald Trump's peace plan puts Israel on the cutting edge On a road to a Jewish settlement in the West Bank, a suspected Palestinian gunman slightly wounded an Israeli soldier before fleeing, the Israeli military said. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned Israel for the deaths, linking them to what Trump has billed as the "deal of the century". Trump senior adviser Jared Kushner, the face of the US plan, said Abbas bore some responsibility for the surge in violence. "I think he does have responsibility," Kushner said of Abbas moments after briefing United Nations Security Council ambassadors on the plan's details. "He calls for days of rage in response and he said that before he even saw the plan." Kushner added that he met personally with Abbas four times as he was crafting the proposal, but "they chose not to meet with us again." Also watch: Jared Kushner to present peace plan details to UNSC The Palestinians, who have long shunned the Trump administration, accusing it of bias towards Israel, say the plan falls far short of their demands for a viable independent state and other rights. Israel supports the Trump plan. The Arab League opposes it, while the European Union has rejected parts of it. Visiting Israeli security forces in the West Bank after Thursday's incidents, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also accused Abbas of inciting violence. "We will do everything necessary to protect our security, to define our borders and to ensure our future," Netanyahu said in a statement. "We will do it with you or without you." On Wednesday, Israeli troops shot dead a 17-year-old Palestinian elsewhere in the West Bank, saying he had thrown a firebomb at them during a violent protest against Trump's plan. He was the first fatality since the blueprint was announced. The Israel-Gaza border has also been shaken by several days of violence. Palestinians have launched mortar fire, rockets and balloon-borne explosives into Israel, causing panic but no serious casualties. Israel has carried out nightly airstrikes against sites belonging to Gaza's ruling Hamas Islamists.

At least two Palestinians killed, 16 Israelis hurt in violence over Trump plan

Israeli aircraft struck Hamas positions in&nbsp;Gaza&nbsp;early Wednesday, the military said,&nbsp;after&nbsp;Palestinians in the enclave launched&nbsp;projectiles&nbsp;and&nbsp;explosive&nbsp;balloons&nbsp;at the Jewish state.

The "fighter jets targeted Hamas terror targets in the southern&nbsp;Gaza&nbsp;Strip" including "a weapons manufacturing site", the army said in a statement.

Also read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-warplanes-hit-hamas-in-gaza-after-border-fire-278047">&nbsp;Israeli warplanes hit Hamas in Gaza after border fire</a>

There were no immediate reports from&nbsp;Gaza&nbsp;of casualties.

Prior to the Israeli attack, militants in&nbsp;Gaza&nbsp;launched three&nbsp;projectiles&nbsp;and a number of "explosive&nbsp;balloons" at southern&nbsp;Israel, the army said, with neither medics nor police reporting casualties or damage.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/has-donald-trump-proposed-a-middle-east-peace-plan-or-terms-of-surrender-for-the-palestinians-277760">Has Donald Trump proposed a Middle East peace plan or terms of surrender for the Palestinians?</a>

Since US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/state-of-the-union-things-trump-didnt-address-but-should-have-278752">Donald Trump</a>'s announcement last week of his plan to resolve the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/has-donald-trump-proposed-a-middle-east-peace-plan-or-terms-of-surrender-for-the-palestinians-277760">Israeli-Palestinian conflict</a>, rockets, mortar shells and&nbsp;explosive&nbsp;balloons&nbsp;have been launched almost daily from&nbsp;Gaza&nbsp;into southern&nbsp;Israel, provoking Israeli retaliation.&nbsp;

Palestinians strongly reject the US plan, seen as heavily favouring&nbsp;Israel.

Hamas and&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;have fought three wars since 2008 but over the past year the Islamists have gradually shaped an informal truce with&nbsp;Israel, under which the Jewish state has eased its crippling blockade of&nbsp;Gaza.

Israeli aircraft struck Hamas positions in Gaza early Wednesday, the military said, after Palestinians in the enclave launched projectiles and explosive balloons at the Jewish state.

Israeli aircraft struck Hamas positions in Gaza early Wednesday, the military said, after Palestinians in the enclave launched projectiles and explosive balloons at the Jewish state. The "fighter jets targeted Hamas terror targets in the southern Gaza Strip" including "a weapons manufacturing site", the army said in a statement. Also read: Israeli warplanes hit Hamas in Gaza after border fire There were no immediate reports from Gaza of casualties. Prior to the Israeli attack, militants in Gaza launched three projectiles and a number of "explosive balloons" at southern Israel, the army said, with neither medics nor police reporting casualties or damage. Also read: Has Donald Trump proposed a Middle East peace plan or terms of surrender for the Palestinians? Since US President Donald Trump's announcement last week of his plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, rockets, mortar shells and explosive balloons have been launched almost daily from Gaza into southern Israel, provoking Israeli retaliation. Palestinians strongly reject the US plan, seen as heavily favouring Israel. Hamas and Israel have fought three wars since 2008 but over the past year the Islamists have gradually shaped an informal truce with Israel, under which the Jewish state has eased its crippling blockade of Gaza.

Israel strikes in Gaza after Palestinians fire projectiles

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on Saturday mourned the death of Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem Soleimani who was killed by a US air strike in Iraq, reported news agency Reuters.

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on Saturday mourned the death of Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem Soleimani who was killed by a US air strike in Iraq, reported news agency Reuters. Leaders of the Islamist Hamas group, which rules Gaza, and of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad faction, both backed by Iran, joined mourners at a tent erected in Soleimani's honour in the heart of Gaza City. Flags of the United States and Israel were laid on the ground for visitors to tread on as they entered, passing murals of Soleimani. The flags were later set on fire. "We are loyal to those who stood with the resistance and with Palestine and we hold the U.S administration and the Zionist occupation fully responsible for the consequences of this deplorable crime," said Ismail Radwan, a Hamas official. Soleimani, 62, was the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps' foreign legions. As head of the Quds Force, he was the architect of Iran's drive to spread its influence in the Middle East through proxy militias, some of them now operating on the doorstep of its arch-enemy Israel. (With inputs from Reuters)

Palestinians in Gaza mourn Iran's Qasem Soleimani

Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu vows to annex Jordan valley a day after U.S. stance. Israeli Military occupies Jordan valley since 1967. Around 65,000 Palestinians live in the Jordan valley. Watch this video to find out more in detail.

WION Dispatch: Netanyahu's push to annex Jordan valley

The United States on Monday (November 19) effectively backed Israel's right to build Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank by abandoning its four-decade-old position that they were "inconsistent with international law," in a statement that on Tuesday (November 19) drew praise from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and condemnation from Palestinians.

U.S. backs Israel on settlements, angering Palestinians and clouding peace process

U.S. policy shift a boost to Netanyahu. Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu vows to annex Jordan valley after U.S. stance. Israeli Military occupies Jordan valley since 1967. 65,000 Palestinians live in the Jordan valley. Watch this video to find out more in detail.

U.S. policy shift a boost to Netanyahu

The United States on Monday effectively backed Israel's right to build Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank by abandoning its four-decade-old position. Israel praised a U.S. decision on Monday to soften its position on Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, a move that upset the Palestinians who said it contradicts international law.

U.S. backs Israel on settlements, Palestinians outraged as Israel welcomes U.S. move

Palestinian terror groups in the Gaza strip have launched rockets towards Israel. Watch this video to know more.

WION Dispatch: More rockets fired at Israel from Gaza

Three Palestinians were killed by Israeli soldiers in the northern Gaza Strip, the Palestinian health ministry said Sunday, hours after three rockets were fired at Israel from the blockaded enclave.

Three Palestinians were killed by Israeli soldiers in the northern Gaza Strip, the Palestinian health ministry said Sunday, hours after three rockets were fired at Israel from the blockaded enclave. The ministry said another Palestinian was hospitalised in the shooting that came after the Israeli army said an attack helicopter and tank had fired at "armed suspects" along the barrier that separates Israel from Gaza. "We just identified a number of armed suspects from Gaza approaching the security fence with Israel. We fired towards them," the army said a statement posted on its Twitter account. The latest violence came after Palestinians in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip fired three rockets at southern Israel late Saturday, the Israeli army said, in the second such attack in 24 hours. There were no immediate reports of casualties. The army said two of the projectiles had been intercepted by its Iron Dome aerial defence system but it did not specify what happened to the third rocket. Air raid sirens had sounded in the southern town of Sderot and its surroundings. On Friday Palestinians in Gaza fired a rocket at Sderot, in what the army said was the first such attack since July 12. In response, Israeli warplanes struck at least three targets in the Gaza Strip early on Saturday but caused no casualties, a Palestinian security source said. The strikes hit a Hamas observation post in Beit Hanoun, in the northern Gaza Strip, an unidentified target near Gaza City and open ground near Deir El Balah in the central part of the territory, the source said. An Israeli army statement mentioned only two strikes, against "underground targets belonging to the Hamas terror organisation in the northern and central Gaza Strip". Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza, ruled by Islamist movement Hamas, have fought three wars since 2008. And since March 2018, regular protests and clashes have erupted along the border of the blockaded coastal enclave. At least 305 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in Gaza or the border area since then, the majority during demonstrations and clashes. Seven Israelis have also been killed in Gaza-related violence over the same period.

Three Palestinians killed by Israeli troops at Gaza border: Ministry

Israel on Saturday said that it has shot down two out of three rockets fired from the Gaza strip.

"Three rockets were fired from #Gaza at #Israel, two of them were intercepted by the Iron Dome Aerial Defense System. This is the second consecutive night rockets have been fired from Gaza at Israeli civilians," the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) wrote on Twitter.

Earlier in the day, sirens were heard in several Israeli settlements.

The launches from Gaza continued for the second day in a row, reported Sputnik.

This comes a day after 77 <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-army-says-killed-4-armed-palestinians-on-gaza-border-241954">Palestinians were killed following clashes with Israeli soldiers</a> in Gaza Strip, the territory's Health Ministry said.

The Gaza Strip has witnessed massive protests for over a year.&nbsp;

Since last year, the Palestinians have been staging weekly demonstrations demanding an end to Israel's 12-year blockade of the Gaza Strip, which has affected nearly two million people from getting access to basic needs.

Around 270 people have died and a thousand others injured in clashes with Israeli forces in the Gaza protests.

For decades, Israel has conflicted with Palestinians, who have been seeking diplomatic recognition for their independent state on the territories of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which is partially occupied by Israel and the Gaza Strip.

Israel on Saturday said that it has shot down two out of three rockets fired from the Gaza strip. "Three rockets were fired from #Gaza at #Israel, two of them were intercepted by the Iron Dome Aerial Defense System.

Israel on Saturday said that it has shot down two out of three rockets fired from the Gaza strip. "Three rockets were fired from #Gaza at #Israel, two of them were intercepted by the Iron Dome Aerial Defense System. This is the second consecutive night rockets have been fired from Gaza at Israeli civilians," the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) wrote on Twitter. Earlier in the day, sirens were heard in several Israeli settlements. The launches from Gaza continued for the second day in a row, reported Sputnik. This comes a day after 77 Palestinians were killed following clashes with Israeli soldiers in Gaza Strip, the territory's Health Ministry said. The Gaza Strip has witnessed massive protests for over a year. Since last year, the Palestinians have been staging weekly demonstrations demanding an end to Israel's 12-year blockade of the Gaza Strip, which has affected nearly two million people from getting access to basic needs. Around 270 people have died and a thousand others injured in clashes with Israeli forces in the Gaza protests. For decades, Israel has conflicted with Palestinians, who have been seeking diplomatic recognition for their independent state on the territories of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which is partially occupied by Israel and the Gaza Strip.

Israel shoots down 2 out of 3 rockets fired from Gaza

Jordan summoned Israel's ambassador on Sunday in protest over "violations" at Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, the foreign ministry said.

It summoned envoy Amir Weissbrod to voice its "condemnation and rejection of Israeli violations" at the highly sensitive site, where Israeli security forces clashed with Palestinian worshippers last week.

Jordan, the only Arab country apart from Egypt to have a peace agreement with the Jewish state, supervises Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem.

Its diplomatic protest came days after Israeli Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan reportedly told a radio station that the country should work toward Jews being allowed to pray at the holy site.

But he added the change should come through "political agreements and not by force," according to Israeli newspaper Haaretz.

Jews are allowed to visit but cannot pray there -- a ban condemned by some nationalists including members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition.

Jordan's foreign ministry expressed "the kingdom's strong condemnation" over Erdan's comments, demanding "an immediate stop to Israel's violations and all its attempts to change the historic and legal status quo" at the site.&nbsp;

The Al-Aqsa mosque is the third holiest place in Islam and a key Palestinian national symbol.

It is also the holiest spot in the world for Jews, who refer to it as the Temple Mount and believe it was the site of the two biblical-era Jewish temples.&nbsp;

Israeli police and Palestinian worshippers clashed at the compound on August 11 as Muslims around the world marked the Eid al-Adha holiday.

That festival coincided with the Jewish Tisha B'av holiday, resulting in an increase in visits by Jewish religious nationalists to the holy site.

In a bid to ease tensions, police initially barred Jews from entering, but Muslim worshippers still suspected they would be allowed in and staged protests that sparked clashes.

After relative calm returned and following criticism from Israeli far-right politicians, police re-opened the site to Jewish visits, provoking further violence.

Muslim worshippers' access to Al-Aqsa and the adjoining Dome of the Rock is controlled by Israeli security forces.

The site is located in east Jerusalem, occupied by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed in a move never recognised by the international community.

Jordan summoned Israel's ambassador on Sunday in protest over "violations" at Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, the foreign ministry said. It summoned envoy Amir Weissbrod to voice its "condemnation and rejection of Israeli violations" at the highly sensitive site, where Israeli security forces clashed with Palestinian worshippers last week.

Jordan summoned Israel's ambassador on Sunday in protest over "violations" at Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, the foreign ministry said. It summoned envoy Amir Weissbrod to voice its "condemnation and rejection of Israeli violations" at the highly sensitive site, where Israeli security forces clashed with Palestinian worshippers last week. Jordan, the only Arab country apart from Egypt to have a peace agreement with the Jewish state, supervises Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem. Its diplomatic protest came days after Israeli Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan reportedly told a radio station that the country should work toward Jews being allowed to pray at the holy site. But he added the change should come through "political agreements and not by force," according to Israeli newspaper Haaretz. Jews are allowed to visit but cannot pray there -- a ban condemned by some nationalists including members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition. Jordan's foreign ministry expressed "the kingdom's strong condemnation" over Erdan's comments, demanding "an immediate stop to Israel's violations and all its attempts to change the historic and legal status quo" at the site. The Al-Aqsa mosque is the third holiest place in Islam and a key Palestinian national symbol. It is also the holiest spot in the world for Jews, who refer to it as the Temple Mount and believe it was the site of the two biblical-era Jewish temples. Israeli police and Palestinian worshippers clashed at the compound on August 11 as Muslims around the world marked the Eid al-Adha holiday. That festival coincided with the Jewish Tisha B'av holiday, resulting in an increase in visits by Jewish religious nationalists to the holy site. In a bid to ease tensions, police initially barred Jews from entering, but Muslim worshippers still suspected they would be allowed in and staged protests that sparked clashes. After relative calm returned and following criticism from Israeli far-right politicians, police re-opened the site to Jewish visits, provoking further violence. Muslim worshippers' access to Al-Aqsa and the adjoining Dome of the Rock is controlled by Israeli security forces. The site is located in east Jerusalem, occupied by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed in a move never recognised by the international community.

Jordan summons Israel envoy over Jerusalem 'violations'

Israeli troops shot dead four heavily armed Palestinians on the Gaza border early Saturday, one of whom had managed to cross and throw a grenade at troops, the army said.

There have been frequent clashes along the Gaza border since the Palestinians began organising regular mass protests there in March 2018 but Saturday's exchange was unusual because of the weaponry the army said was involved in the Palestinian side.

"The terrorists were equipped with AK-47 assault rifles, RPG grenade launchers, and hand grenades," an army statement said.&nbsp;

A spokeswoman said: "The army opened fire after one of the terrorists scaled the barrier and hurled a grenade at the soldiers."

No casualties were reported in Israeli ranks.

Palestinian demonstrations at the Gaza border demanding the lifting of Israel's more than decade-old blockade has often led to violence and deadly response from the Israeli army.

At least 301 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in Gaza or the border area since March 2018, the majority during the demonstrations.

Seven Israelis have also been killed.

The protests have declined in intensity in recent months following a truce brokered by UN officials and Egypt.&nbsp;

Under the truce, Israel agreed to take steps to ease aspects of its blockade in return for calm on the border.

Sporadic violence has continued but the Israeli army has said most of it has consisted of lone-wolf attacks.

On August 1, a Palestinian seeking to avenge his brother's death by Israeli fire entered Israel from Gaza armed with a Kalashnikov assault rifle and hand grenades. He was killed and three Israeli soldiers wounded, the army said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is widely seen as wanting to avoid a major flare-up in the Palestinian territories as Israel prepares for a snap general election on September 17, it's second this year.

But he is likely to face political pressure to act firmly against any significant attack.

Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since 2008.

The border exchange came as Palestinians prepare to mark Eid al-Adha, the feast of the sacrifice.&nbsp;

Israeli troops shot dead four heavily armed Palestinians on the Gaza border early Saturday, one of whom had managed to cross and throw a grenade at troops, the army said.

Israeli troops shot dead four heavily armed Palestinians on the Gaza border early Saturday, one of whom had managed to cross and throw a grenade at troops, the army said. There have been frequent clashes along the Gaza border since the Palestinians began organising regular mass protests there in March 2018 but Saturday's exchange was unusual because of the weaponry the army said was involved in the Palestinian side. "The terrorists were equipped with AK-47 assault rifles, RPG grenade launchers, and hand grenades," an army statement said. A spokeswoman said: "The army opened fire after one of the terrorists scaled the barrier and hurled a grenade at the soldiers." No casualties were reported in Israeli ranks. Palestinian demonstrations at the Gaza border demanding the lifting of Israel's more than decade-old blockade has often led to violence and deadly response from the Israeli army. At least 301 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in Gaza or the border area since March 2018, the majority during the demonstrations. Seven Israelis have also been killed. The protests have declined in intensity in recent months following a truce brokered by UN officials and Egypt. Under the truce, Israel agreed to take steps to ease aspects of its blockade in return for calm on the border. Sporadic violence has continued but the Israeli army has said most of it has consisted of lone-wolf attacks. On August 1, a Palestinian seeking to avenge his brother's death by Israeli fire entered Israel from Gaza armed with a Kalashnikov assault rifle and hand grenades. He was killed and three Israeli soldiers wounded, the army said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is widely seen as wanting to avoid a major flare-up in the Palestinian territories as Israel prepares for a snap general election on September 17, it's second this year. But he is likely to face political pressure to act firmly against any significant attack. Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since 2008. The border exchange came as Palestinians prepare to mark Eid al-Adha, the feast of the sacrifice.

Israel army says killed 4 armed Palestinians on Gaza border

Israel will build 6,000 new homes for Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank - a move Palestinian leaders decried as showing Israel's "colonial mentality" - but in a rare step it also approved permits for 700 houses for Palestinians.

Washington warmed to Wednesday's announcement, made ahead of a visit by President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy and son-in-law Jared Kushner to explore prospects for his own Israeli-Palestinian peace plan. Details of the plan remain vague, however.

The Palestinian leadership has rejected US&nbsp;diplomacy, saying the Trump administration is biased towards Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a conservative who is drumming up ultra-nationalist Jewish support ahead of a September&nbsp;17 election, has hinted that Israel could annex its West Bank settlements - in defiance of world powers that view the enclaves as illegal.

Most settlements are concentrated in Area C of the West Bank, which under the 1993 Oslo interim peace accords is fully controlled by Israel.<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/israel-announces-new-homes-in-west-bank-239908/embed" width="560" height="350" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" autoplay=1 allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

The Palestinians seek to end the Israeli occupation of territory seized in the 1967 Middle East and set up their own state in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem.

Israeli officials said on Wednesday Netanyahu's cabinet had approved permits 6,000 new homes for settlers and 700 new homes for Palestinians in Area C in what they described as a bid to rein in pirate construction.

According to Israel, about 450,000 settlers and 250,000-290,000 Palestinians live in Area C. A total of about 3 million Palestinians live throughout the West Bank.

Saying it rejected any Israeli construction or controls over Palestinian construction in the West Bank, the Palestinian leadership dismissed the housing announcement.

The Foreign Ministry in Ramallah called it "evidence of the dark colonial mentality of the rules in Israel and which ignores all United Nations resolutions, international law and the signed agreements".

The US&nbsp;ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, said, however, the permits for the Palestinians were the first for some time.

"We spend lots of time speaking with the Israelis about improving conditions in the West Bank and Gaza," he told CNN.

Friedman sidestepped questions about whether the Trump administration foresaw a Palestinian state or Israeli annexations of West Bank land.

"We want the Palestinians to have autonomy. We want the Palestinians to govern themselves," he said.

"Israel has not presented to us any plan to retain or annex any portion of the West Bank and we have no view on it at all right now," Friedman added.

He added that in his view, Israel had the legal right to retain some portion of the West Bank.

The issue of Jewish settlements in occupied territory is one of the most contentious of the conflict and the main reason why the peace process based on the 1993 accords has run aground.

Following a previous announcement on new settler houses in April, the European Union reiterated that all settlement activity was illegal under international law. It eroded the viability of a two-state solution and the prospects for a lasting peace, the EU said.

Israel will build 6,000 new homes for Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank - a move Palestinian leaders decried as showing Israel's "colonial mentality" - but in a rare step it also approved permits for 700 houses for Palestinians.

Israel will build 6,000 new homes for Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank - a move Palestinian leaders decried as showing Israel's "colonial mentality" - but in a rare step it also approved permits for 700 houses for Palestinians. Washington warmed to Wednesday's announcement, made ahead of a visit by President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy and son-in-law Jared Kushner to explore prospects for his own Israeli-Palestinian peace plan. Details of the plan remain vague, however. The Palestinian leadership has rejected US diplomacy, saying the Trump administration is biased towards Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a conservative who is drumming up ultra-nationalist Jewish support ahead of a September 17 election, has hinted that Israel could annex its West Bank settlements - in defiance of world powers that view the enclaves as illegal. Most settlements are concentrated in Area C of the West Bank, which under the 1993 Oslo interim peace accords is fully controlled by Israel. The Palestinians seek to end the Israeli occupation of territory seized in the 1967 Middle East and set up their own state in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem. Israeli officials said on Wednesday Netanyahu's cabinet had approved permits 6,000 new homes for settlers and 700 new homes for Palestinians in Area C in what they described as a bid to rein in pirate construction. According to Israel, about 450,000 settlers and 250,000-290,000 Palestinians live in Area C. A total of about 3 million Palestinians live throughout the West Bank. Saying it rejected any Israeli construction or controls over Palestinian construction in the West Bank, the Palestinian leadership dismissed the housing announcement. The Foreign Ministry in Ramallah called it "evidence of the dark colonial mentality of the rules in Israel and which ignores all United Nations resolutions, international law and the signed agreements". The US ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, said, however, the permits for the Palestinians were the first for some time. "We spend lots of time speaking with the Israelis about improving conditions in the West Bank and Gaza," he told CNN. Friedman sidestepped questions about whether the Trump administration foresaw a Palestinian state or Israeli annexations of West Bank land. "We want the Palestinians to have autonomy. We want the Palestinians to govern themselves," he said. "Israel has not presented to us any plan to retain or annex any portion of the West Bank and we have no view on it at all right now," Friedman added. He added that in his view, Israel had the legal right to retain some portion of the West Bank. The issue of Jewish settlements in occupied territory is one of the most contentious of the conflict and the main reason why the peace process based on the 1993 accords has run aground. Following a previous announcement on new settler houses in April, the European Union reiterated that all settlement activity was illegal under international law. It eroded the viability of a two-state solution and the prospects for a lasting peace, the EU said.

Israel announces new homes for settlers, Palestinians in West Bank 

The first stage of President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trumps-economy-first-approach-to-mideast-peace-built-on-big-money-projects-229587">Donald Trump's Middle East peace plan</a> will be launched on Tuesday at a conference the White House touts as a bid to begin drumming up $50 billion in investment but which Palestinians deride as an "economy first" approach doomed to fail.

The two-day international meeting in Bahrain, led by Trump’s son-in-law, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jared-kushner-visits-middle-east-to-press-us-peace-plan-222381">Jared Kushner</a>, has been billed as the first part of Washington's long-delayed broader political blueprint to revive the moribund Israeli-Palestinian peace process, which will be unveiled at a later date.

But neither the Israeli nor <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/even-if-netanyahu-goes-the-israeli-palestinian-conflict-will-continue-204653">Palestinian governments</a> will attend the curtain-raising event in the Bahraini capital, Manama.

There will be close scrutiny as to whether attendees such as Saudi Arabia and other wealthy Gulf Arab states show any interest in making actual donations to a US plan that has already elicited bitter criticism from Palestinians and many others in the Arab world.

Bahrain, a close American ally and home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, has been making preparations for weeks.

Although the conference is supposed to focus on economics, Gulf Arab states hope their presence will also show their solidarity with the Trump administration over its hardline against Iran, a senior Gulf diplomat said on condition of anonymity.

Under the plan, donor nations and investors would contribute about $50 billion over 10 years, with $28 billion going to the Palestinian territories - the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip - as well as $7.5 billion to Jordan, $9 billion to Egypt and $6 billion for Lebanon.

Among 179 proposed infrastructure and business, projects is a $5 billion transport corridor to connect the West Bank and Gaza.

"I laugh when they attack this as the ‘deal of the century,’" Kushner told Reuters, referring to the lofty nickname that Trump’s peace plan has assumed over the past two years.

"This is going to be the ‘opportunity of the century’ if they have the courage to pursue it."

Kushner, a senior Trump adviser who like his father-in-law comes from the world of New York real estate, is presenting his plan in a pair of pamphlets filled with graphs and statistics that resemble an investment prospectus.

But pushing back against critics who accuse Kushner of trying to forge a strictly “economic peace,” he told Reuters last week: “A lot of past attempts have failed. Calm down ... and keep an open mind.”

Peace to Prosperity

Even so, expectations for success are low. The Trump team concedes that the economic plan - billed "Peace to Prosperity" - will be implemented only if a political solution to one of the world’s most intractable conflicts is reached.

Any such solution would have to settle long-standing issues such as the status of Jerusalem, mutually agreed borders, satisfying Israel's security concerns and Palestinian demands for statehood, and the fate of Israel's settlements and military presence in territory Palestinians want to build that state.

In an interview with Al Jazeera set to air on Tuesday, Kushner offered a rare glimpse into the possible political contours of the plan, saying a deal would not adhere to the Arab Peace Initiative, a Saudi-led plan that has been the Arab consensus on the necessary elements for a Palestinian deal since 2002.

"I think we all have to recognise that if there ever is a deal, it's not going to be along the lines of the Arab Peace Initiative. It will be somewhere between the Arab Peace Initiative and between the Israeli position," Kushner told Al Jazeera.

The Arab Peace Initiative offers Israel normal ties with the Arab world in exchange for a Palestinian state drawn along borders that predate Israel's capture of territory in a 1967 war and a fair solution for Palestinian refugees. Israel has rejected some of the initiative's main provisions.

Hanging over the entire initiative are persistent questions about whether the Trump team plans to abandon the "two-state solution," a long-standing principle of Middle East peacemaking that involves the creation of an independent Palestinian state.

But the Trump team has consistently refused to commit to it.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a close Trump ally, has his own domestic problems, facing an election, and possible corruption charges after a long-running police investigation. He denies any wrongdoing.

"We'll hear the American proposition, hear it fairly and with openness," Netanyahu said on Sunday. Although no Israeli government ministers will attend, an Israeli business delegation is expected.

Palestinian leaders have boycotted the workshop, and are refusing to engage with the White House - accusing it of pro-Israel bias after a series of recent Trump decisions. Kushner told Reuters that "some" Palestinian businessmen would be present.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whose Palestinian Authority exercises limited self-rule in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, was scathing about its prospects of success.

"Money is important. The economy is important. But politics are more important. The political solution is more important," he said.

Hamas, the Islamist militant group that controls Gaza, has found itself in rare agreement with its arch-rival Abbas. "The Palestinian people only and no one else can represent the Palestinian cause," Hamas official Mushir al-Masri said.

Kushner insists, however, that the economic plan is intended to help draw Palestinians back to the negotiating table by showcasing the benefits a peace deal could bring.

Kushner said that even without the Israeli and Palestinian governments represented, the presence of Israeli business executives and journalists with their Arab counterparts would be significant at a time of rising tensions with Iran.

"People realize that the real threat to that region is Iran and their aggression, and Israel and a lot of the other Arab states have a lot more in common today than they did before," he said.

David Makovsky, a Washington-based Middle East expert, agreed that although the principal focus of the event was the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, "Iran is higher on the chain of interest right now."

However, Makovsky, whom the White House has invited as an observer, said of the Trump-Kushner plan: "No one believes you can solve this thing economically without addressing the political issues."

The first stage of President Donald Trump's Middle East peace plan will be launched on Tuesday at a conference the White House touts as a bid to begin drumming up $50 billion in investment but which Palestinians deride as an "economy first" approach doomed to fail.

The first stage of President Donald Trump's Middle East peace plan will be launched on Tuesday at a conference the White House touts as a bid to begin drumming up $50 billion in investment but which Palestinians deride as an "economy first" approach doomed to fail. The two-day international meeting in Bahrain, led by Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, has been billed as the first part of Washington's long-delayed broader political blueprint to revive the moribund Israeli-Palestinian peace process, which will be unveiled at a later date. But neither the Israeli nor Palestinian governments will attend the curtain-raising event in the Bahraini capital, Manama. There will be close scrutiny as to whether attendees such as Saudi Arabia and other wealthy Gulf Arab states show any interest in making actual donations to a US plan that has already elicited bitter criticism from Palestinians and many others in the Arab world. Bahrain, a close American ally and home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, has been making preparations for weeks. Although the conference is supposed to focus on economics, Gulf Arab states hope their presence will also show their solidarity with the Trump administration over its hardline against Iran, a senior Gulf diplomat said on condition of anonymity. Under the plan, donor nations and investors would contribute about $50 billion over 10 years, with $28 billion going to the Palestinian territories - the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip - as well as $7.5 billion to Jordan, $9 billion to Egypt and $6 billion for Lebanon. Among 179 proposed infrastructure and business, projects is a $5 billion transport corridor to connect the West Bank and Gaza. "I laugh when they attack this as the ‘deal of the century,’" Kushner told Reuters, referring to the lofty nickname that Trump’s peace plan has assumed over the past two years. "This is going to be the ‘opportunity of the century’ if they have the courage to pursue it." Kushner, a senior Trump adviser who like his father-in-law comes from the world of New York real estate, is presenting his plan in a pair of pamphlets filled with graphs and statistics that resemble an investment prospectus. But pushing back against critics who accuse Kushner of trying to forge a strictly “economic peace,” he told Reuters last week: “A lot of past attempts have failed. Calm down ... and keep an open mind.” Peace to Prosperity Even so, expectations for success are low. The Trump team concedes that the economic plan - billed "Peace to Prosperity" - will be implemented only if a political solution to one of the world’s most intractable conflicts is reached. Any such solution would have to settle long-standing issues such as the status of Jerusalem, mutually agreed borders, satisfying Israel's security concerns and Palestinian demands for statehood, and the fate of Israel's settlements and military presence in territory Palestinians want to build that state. In an interview with Al Jazeera set to air on Tuesday, Kushner offered a rare glimpse into the possible political contours of the plan, saying a deal would not adhere to the Arab Peace Initiative, a Saudi-led plan that has been the Arab consensus on the necessary elements for a Palestinian deal since 2002. "I think we all have to recognise that if there ever is a deal, it's not going to be along the lines of the Arab Peace Initiative. It will be somewhere between the Arab Peace Initiative and between the Israeli position," Kushner told Al Jazeera. The Arab Peace Initiative offers Israel normal ties with the Arab world in exchange for a Palestinian state drawn along borders that predate Israel's capture of territory in a 1967 war and a fair solution for Palestinian refugees. Israel has rejected some of the initiative's main provisions. Hanging over the entire initiative are persistent questions about whether the Trump team plans to abandon the "two-state solution," a long-standing principle of Middle East peacemaking that involves the creation of an independent Palestinian state. But the Trump team has consistently refused to commit to it. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a close Trump ally, has his own domestic problems, facing an election, and possible corruption charges after a long-running police investigation. He denies any wrongdoing. "We'll hear the American proposition, hear it fairly and with openness," Netanyahu said on Sunday. Although no Israeli government ministers will attend, an Israeli business delegation is expected. Palestinian leaders have boycotted the workshop, and are refusing to engage with the White House - accusing it of pro-Israel bias after a series of recent Trump decisions. Kushner told Reuters that "some" Palestinian businessmen would be present. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whose Palestinian Authority exercises limited self-rule in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, was scathing about its prospects of success. "Money is important. The economy is important. But politics are more important. The political solution is more important," he said. Hamas, the Islamist militant group that controls Gaza, has found itself in rare agreement with its arch-rival Abbas. "The Palestinian people only and no one else can represent the Palestinian cause," Hamas official Mushir al-Masri said. Kushner insists, however, that the economic plan is intended to help draw Palestinians back to the negotiating table by showcasing the benefits a peace deal could bring. Kushner said that even without the Israeli and Palestinian governments represented, the presence of Israeli business executives and journalists with their Arab counterparts would be significant at a time of rising tensions with Iran. "People realize that the real threat to that region is Iran and their aggression, and Israel and a lot of the other Arab states have a lot more in common today than they did before," he said. David Makovsky, a Washington-based Middle East expert, agreed that although the principal focus of the event was the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, "Iran is higher on the chain of interest right now." However, Makovsky, whom the White House has invited as an observer, said of the Trump-Kushner plan: "No one believes you can solve this thing economically without addressing the political issues."

In Bahrain, United States to launch economic part of Mideast peace plan amid skepticism

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