Israeli police shot dead a 32-year-old Palestinian man suspected of having tried hours earlier to kill a far-right Jewish activist, leading to fierce clashes in East Jerusalem and fears of a new Palestinian uprising.
The Al-Aqsa compound, or Temple Mount, a holy site at the heart of the latest violence, was shut down for almost an entire day to all visitors as a security precaution. It was the first full closure of the site, venerated by both Jews and Muslims, in 14 years. Israeli police reopened the complex this evening.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas denounced Israel's actions as "tantamount to a declaration of war" and his Fatah party called for a "day of rage" on Friday. It was not clear if Al Aqsa would be opened to Muslims on their holy day.
Moataz Hejazi's body lay in blood among satellite dishes and a solar panel on the rooftop of a three-storey house in Abu Tor, a district of Arab East Jerusalem, as Israeli forces sealed off the area and repelled stone-throwing Palestinian protesters.
Hejazi was suspected of shooting and wounding Yehuda Glick, a far-right religious activist who has led a campaign for Jews to be allowed to pray at the Al-Aqsa compound.
Glick, a U.S.-born settler, was shot as he left a conference at the Menachem Begin Heritage Centre in Jerusalem late on Wednesday. His assailant escaped on the back of a motorcycle.
A spokesman for the centre said Hejazi had worked at a restaurant there. Glick, 48, remains in serious but stable condition with four gunshot wounds, doctors said.
Residents said hundreds of Israeli police were involved in the pre-dawn search for Hejazi. He was tracked down to his family home in the hilly backstreets of Abu Tor and eventually cornered on the terrace of an adjacent building.
"Anti-terrorist police units surrounded a house in the Abu Tor neighbourhood to arrest a suspect in the attempted assassination of Yehuda Glick," Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said. "Immediately upon arrival they were shot at. They returned fire and shot and killed the suspect."
Locals identified the man as Hejazi, who was released from an Israeli prison in 2012 after serving 11 years. Israeli police fired stun grenades to keep back groups of angry residents, who shouted abuse as they watched from surrounding balconies.
One Abu Tor resident, an elderly Arab man with a walking stick who declined to be named, described Hejazi as a troublemaker and said "he should have been shot 10 years ago". Others said he was a good son from a respectable family.
"They are good people, he does nothing wrong," said Niveen, a young woman who declined to give her family name.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad, two militant groups, praised the shooting of Glick and mourned Hejazi's death.
GEORGE VELLA MEETS ABBAS
Coincidentally, Foreign Minister George Vella visited the West Bank today and had talks with President Abbas and Palestinian Prime Minister Rani Hamdallah.
His visit was the last leg of a tour which also included Amman and Jerusalem.
In warmly welcoming Dr Vella, President Abbas thanked Malta for the constant support extended to the people of Palestine throughout the years. T
He said there were numerous challenges for the resolution of the Palestinian question as the Middle East Peace Process had undergone serious setbacks over the past months.
The situation in Gaza was discussed at length with the president giving an overview of the reconstruction efforts underway.
Dr Vella reiterated Malta’s commitment to the establishment of a viable and contiguous Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel.
Dr Vella also met Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki. They signed a joint declaration on the establishment of a Joint Intergovernmental Committee on Cooperation in the fields of education, tourism and the economy.
In Ramallah, Dr Vella met Palestinian charitable entities that benefited from Malta’s Overseas Development Assistance in the fields of health, education and female empowerment.