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Palestinian killed in attempted attack against Israeli troops in West Bank

Xinhua, April 14, 2016 Adjust font size:

A Palestinian man was shot dead after trying to attack Israeli soldiers with an axe in the West Bank on Thursday, said the Israeli army.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said Israeli soldiers opened fire and killed the 44-year-old assailant at the entrance of the al-Aroub Palestinian refugee camp.

No Israeli soldiers were injured in the attempted attack.

The attempted attack occurred a few days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the rate of stabbing attacks in the West Bank had decreased.

Earlier on Thursday, Israeli police and border police guards captured two 12-year-old Palestinians in Jerusalem's Old City, after they aroused their suspicion, police spokeswoman Luba Samri said.

Police forces found three knives and a goodbye letter from one of the child's parents, Samri said. The two were transferred for interrogations in a Jerusalem police station.

On Thursday, Netanyahu discussed a possible escalation during a meeting with Israeli municipality heads, saying that Israel will increase the deployment of security forces in "sensitive areas" as attempted attacks continue.

Netanyahu also said that "extremist factors" are trying to stir trouble in the Temple Mount, a site holy to both Jews and Muslims in east Jerusalem, sending a message to the Arab world that Israel is not looking to control the site and violate the status quo.

Strife over the site late last year launched the ongoing wave of violence between Israel and Palestinians in Palestinian territories, which so far left 202 Palestinians and 34 Israelis dead, according to official Israeli and Palestinian figures.

Earlier this week, Israel's security agency, Shin Bet, said the wave of violence had recently waned.

During a briefing to Israeli ministers on Sunday, a Shin Bet official said that in March there were 20 attacks which caused serious casualties or injuries to Israeli individuals, compared to 78 attacks in October 2015, the first month of the wave of violence.

Since the beginning of April there have been three similar attacks.

Despite the figures presented by Shin Bet, Israeli military sources were quoted in Israeli media on Wednesday saying that security forces are gearing up for a possible escalation during the Jewish Passover holiday celebration next week.

One military official told the Walla news website that 21 extra battalions will be deployed throughout the West Bank during the upcoming holiday. Endit