Amid Numerous Clashes, J'lem Police Chief says "No Worries"

Couple days ago I wrote that some people think the third intifada could be starting soon. There have been outbreaks of violence, demonstrations, and vandalism throughout Jerusalem and the West Bank lately, but luckily Jerusalem's Chief of Police says there's no problem.

Police Commissioner David Cohen on Tuesday toured Jerusalem's Old City after clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces, and said he did not believe the recent violence would not spark a third intifada.

And in a not-really-funny but yes-really-funny way, this paragraph made me laugh a little:

Palestinians hurled stones at police and burned tires and trash bins in several areas of East Jerusalem, which Israel captured along with the West Bank during the 1967 Six-Day War.

"Burned tires and trash bins in several areas of East Jerusalem, which Israel captured along with the West Bank..." the first time I read that, I thought it meant Israel had captured the tires and trash bins in 1967. I was like, "wow, that's a long time to be holding onto those. Maybe they are really planning to give them back eventually."

Meanwhile, the West Bank closure I mentioned previously is still in effect. And as a parting thought, I include this paragraph about why this whole mess started in the first place:

Sporadic violence has erupted in recent weeks in Jerusalem after Israel decided to include West Bank religious sites in a Jewish national heritage plan stoked Palestinian anger.

Tensions All Over the Place

Things are getting hot over here. I've been reading lately some interesting opinion columns from local writers who think the third intifada is about to start, and if things keep going as they have been, that may well happen.

Firstly, Israel sealed off the West Bank beginning on Thursday and plan to keep it that way until at least Wednesday. What that means is that some Palestinians who are usually allowed to cross the checkpoints in order to pray at Al-Aqsa mosque will not be allowed to do so until the closure is over. Women are allowed to cross as usual but only men over 50 will be allowed during the closure.

This Ynet article describes five incidents of violence this week, which is not alltogether out of the ordinary, but one of those incidents was at the Old City's Damascus Gate, which is not usually a site of tension.

Recently there was also an incident of stone throwing and other tomfoolery at Al-Aqsa. The closure is a result of Israeli intelligence getting information that such an event was going to happen again this past weekend.

The decision was based on police intelligence received on a group of Arab youths planning to enter Temple Mount and causing disturbances. Accordingly, the Jerusalem District Police and Border Guard will deploy in force around the Temple Mount complex and the alleys of Jerusalem's Old City.

Speaking of Israeli intelligence, this other article brags about the intelligentsia's ability to preempt bad stuff.

The IDF emphasized that Udda's arrest illustrates the freedom the military enjoys in the West Bank and the precise intelligence hold it has which enables such arrests. "Anti-terror activity is constantly ongoing. We take action against anyone involved in terror now and against elements that were involved in terror in the past and have yet to be brought to justice. This is the approach that guides us, and will continue to guide us," an IDF source said.

This was in reference to the arrest of Maher Udda, a Hamas big fish that they consider the last man they were seeking in connection with the second intifada's terror attacks.