Israel erects concrete barrier between Jewish, Arab neighborhoods in E. Jerusalem

Israeli police forces begin erecting a concrete barrier between the East Jerusalem Arab neighborhood of Jabel Mukaber and the Jewish neighborhood of Armon Hanatziv.

The barrier is intended “to prevent the throwing of firebombs at the houses on Meir Nakar Street [in Armon Hanatziv] and to prevent the loss of life. It means nothing more,” a police spokeswoman told The Times of Israel.

Last week, Israeli police began sealing off some Arab neighborhoods of East Jerusalem amid a sharp surge in stabbings attacks in the capital and the West Bank.

The majority of Palestinian stabbers in recent weeks have been residents of East Jerusalem neighborhoods, with at least five from Jabel Mukaber.

Last Tuesday, Armon Hanatziv was the scene of a deadly attack which saw two Palestinians board a bus in the neighborhood and start a stabbing and shooting spree. Two Israelis were killed in the attack.

On Saturday in Armon Hanatziv, a Palestinian teenager was killed when he tried to stab Border Police officers who stopped him for questioning.