Gazans Join Palestinian Unrest: "We Have Nothing to Lose; Our Life is the Blockade, Unemployment, Destruction; and No One Cares About Us"

With nothing to lose, Gazans join Palestinian unrest

October 15, 2015

AFP - Samir rushes forward and hurls the flaming bottle with all his might at the observation tower and the Israel soldiers inside, his contribution to the "intifada".

"We either kick out the Jews or we die," says the 20-year-old Palestinian, one of hundreds protesting violently near the Gaza Strip's border with Israel.

"Anyway, we have nothing to lose. Our life is the blockade, unemployment, destruction. And no one cares about us."

Gaza, the tiny enclave on the Mediterranean hit by three wars with Israel since 2008, has been drawn into the unrest that erupted recently in annexed east Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank.

Nine Gazans were killed by Israeli fire in border clashes over the weekend, and dozens have sought to breech the fence.

In response to two rockets fired from Gaza, Israeli warplanes carried out an air strike Sunday, demolishing a house in northern Gaza and killing a pregnant woman and her two-year-old daughter.

Israel said it was targeting two arms manufacturing facilities belonging to Hamas, the Islamist movement that runs Gaza.

But some analysts say they believe that Hamas, which does not recognise Israel's right to exist and opposes the Jewish state's occupation of Palestinian lands, does not want yet another conflict.

Last year's 50-day war killed more than 2,200 people and left 100,000 homeless, and reconstruction has been slow.

But Salafist jihadists and other movements are also active in Gaza, and Hamas would likely not remain on the sidelines and watch the situation develop beyond its control.

There are more than enough hopeless young people in Gaza who would be potential volunteers for the cause.

The strip has been under an Israeli blockade for years. Unemployment among its 1.8 million people is around 45 percent, one of the highest rates in the world, and more than half of the population wants to leave.

- 'We want to fight' -

Samir walked the five kilometres (three miles) to Tuesday's protest at the Erez crossing with his friends from his home in Jabaliya. Like many protesters, he wore a traditional Palestinian keffiyeh scarf to cover his face.

They aimed to confront the Israeli soldiers posted behind the long wall separating Gaza from Israel.

"We came to support the young people in the intifada in Jerusalem and the West Bank," he says. "We want to fight, even with stones and firebombs."

Atop the tower the youths were targeting, the barrel of a submachine gun can be seen, but no soldiers.

But eventually, the tear gas cannisters fly and gunfire rings out, and some of the youths fall to the ground.

During the clashes, 35 people were wounded by live fire or rubber bullets, or were overcome by tear gas inhalation, Gaza medics said.

The work of ambulance medics has been complicated not only by the gunfire and tear gas, but also by protesting youths blocking roads. Some have gone on foot to retrieve the wounded with stretchers.

Suhail, a 31-year-old teacher, decided to volunteer after seeing the rescuers difficulties on television.

"I thought that I should come with my friend to help transport the wounded," he says. "I don't want our young people dying for nothing; they're there because they're desperate and only want a better life."

As for the stone throwers, they seem unconcerned by the danger.

"We know that our stones will not kill any soldier, but I swear to you they tremble before us because we are the generation of freedom," says one of the protesters, his face hidden.

Not far away, Hamas police hold back, allowing the protest to continue.

"How can we stop young people from shouting their rejection of the occupation?" one asks.

The Latest: Palestinians accuse Israel of 'savage' behavior

October 15, 2015

AP - The latest developments in ongoing violence between Palestinians and Israelis (all times local):

7:35 p.m.

The Palestinian U.N. ambassador is accusing Israel of acting in "the most savage, shameful" way, pointing to Palestinian statistics showing 30 people killed, including seven children, in the latest violence and about 1,500 wounded, a great majority youngsters.

Riyad Mansour told reporters Wednesday that Arab ambassadors will meet Thursday afternoon to discuss an Arab League call to convene an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council on the current violence.

He said Thursday's meeting would decide on next steps which could also include a new U.N. draft resolution.

Mansour said a resolution would likely condemn "aggression by the Israelis," demand withdrawal of all armed Israelis from points of confrontation — particularly in Jerusalem's Old City and at its holy sites, and call for protection for the Palestinian people.
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6:50 p.m.

Israeli police say an Israeli woman has been stabbed in an attack outside Jerusalem's main bus station.

Police spokeswoman Luba Samri says the attacker stabbed the 70-year-old woman Wednesday and then attempted to board a bus before he was shot by forces at the scene. Samri says the woman was moderately wounded. The attacker's identity and condition were not immediately known.

The violence comes as Israel has begun carrying out a series of steps meant to rein in a spate of attacks by Palestinians, including deploying hundreds of soldiers in Israeli cities.
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4:45 p.m.

Israeli police say they foiled a stabbing attack in Jerusalem, killing the assailant as he attempted to stab security forces.

Police spokeswoman Luba Samri says no Israelis were wounded in the attempted attack Wednesday, which took place outside Jerusalem's Old City. Police did not immediately provide details of the alleged attacker's identity.

The violence comes as Israel has begun deploying hundreds of troops in a bid to counter a wave of attacks.

Wednesday's incident brings the Palestinian death toll since the start of the current wave of violence to 30, among them 13 identified by Israel as attackers with the others killed in clashes. Eight Israelis have been killed in attacks by Palestinians.
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3:25 p.m.

Dozens of Palestinian protesters are clashing with Israeli troops in the West Bank city of Bethlehem.

Masked Palestinians are throwing stones in Wednesday's protest at forces who are responding with tear gas and stun grenades.

Hundreds of Palestinians have been wounded in fierce clashes with Israeli forces in the West Bank and east Jerusalem which erupted a month ago over tensions surrounding a Jerusalem holy site revered by both Jews and Muslims.

In the ensuing violence, eight Israelis have been killed in attacks by Palestinians. Some 29 Palestinians have been killed, among them 12 identified by Israel as attackers.
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11:15 a.m.

Israel's internal security minister says the bodies of dead Palestinian attackers should not be returned to their families for burial.

Gilad Erdan says funeral processions of Palestinians who killed Israelis often turn into "an exhibition of support for terror and incitement to murder."

Erdan says Wednesday that Israel should not allow them to "enjoy respect and ceremonies" after their deaths. He suggests that Palestinian attackers be buried without fanfare in distant cemeteries where previous Palestinian killers have been buried.

Funerals of Palestinians are a frequent flashpoint for clashes and often include calls for revenge.
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9:45 a.m.

Israel's military says it is beginning to deploy hundreds of troops to assist police forces in Israeli cities.

Wednesday's move is the first implementation of measures decided upon by Israel's security cabinet to combat a rash of Palestinian shooting and stabbing attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers.

The cabinet met late into the night and released details of the new measures early Wednesday morning. Steps approved include allowing police to impose a closure on points of friction or incitement according to security assessments. Many of the recent attackers have come from Arab areas of Jerusalem.

The announcement came after a particularly bloody day in which a pair of Palestinian stabbing and shooting attacks in Jerusalem killed three Israelis. Three Palestinians, including two attackers, were also killed.

Eight Israelis and 29 Palestinians have died in a month of Israeli-Palestinian unrest.