Israel to Beef Up Security Ahead of Ramadan

Israeli police said on Sunday they were stepping up the security measures in preparation of the unrest widely expected to coincide with the Muslim month of Ramadan, which begins later this week.

Israeli officials cited the increased incidence of incitement by Palestinian terrorist groups Hamas and the Islamic Jihad as contributing to the likelihood of rioting and attacks in the coming weeks.

Israel has seen a surge in Palestinian violence in recent months.

In previous years, Ramadan has typically seen clashes between Israeli police and Palestinians, particularly around Har HaBayis.

Meanwhile, Palestinians protested on Sunday in Chevron and Gaza against talks between Israeli and Palestinian officials in Egypt aimed at calming violence in Yehudah and Shomron.

“There is a national refusal to hold the Sharm El-Sheikh summit and there is a condemnation for participation of the Palestinian Authority in this meeting with the Zionist occupation,” said a spokesperson of Hamas.

“This meeting encourages the occupation to increase its aggression against the Palestinian people and continue their crimes. It seems that the Palestinian Authority insists on tweeting differently than the national tune. What is needed indeed are international and regional summits to support our Palestinian people against this racist, fascist and Zionist government.”

On Sunday, a Palestinian terrorist shot and seriously wounded an Israeli man in Huwara. Hamas praised the attack.