Thousands at West Bank funerals of trio who killed border policewoman

Israel returns bodies of terrorists to families; one killed, several wounded in clashes across West Bank, Gaza

Thousands of Palestinian residents of Qabatiya, in the northern West Bank, attended the funerals Friday of three terrorists who killed a border policewoman in Jerusalem’s Old City on Wednesday.

The Palestinian Ma’an news agency reported that Qabatiya was under closure by Israeli forces for a second consecutive day on Friday, following the attack.

Earlier in the day Israel returned the bodies of the three terrorists to their families.

Military officials told Channel 2 news that the bodies were handed over after the families promised the funerals of the three would not be transformed into rallies of incitement to further violence.

The 3 Palestinians who killed Hadar Cohen in a January 3, 2016 attack at Damascus Gate in Jerusalem, as shown in Palestinian media. Text reads: "Martyr" Ahmad Zakarneh,"Martyr" Muhammad Kmeil, and "Martyr" Ahmad Abu Al-Rub (Palestinian Media Watch) — The 3 Palestinians who killed Hadar Cohen in a January 3, 2016 attack at Damascus Gate in Jerusalem, as shown in Palestinian media. Text reads: “Martyr” Ahmad Zakarneh,”Martyr” Muhammad Kmeil, and “Martyr” Ahmad Abu Al-Rub (Palestinian Media Watch)

The three, Ahmed Abou Al-Roub, Mohammed Kameel and Ahmad Rajeh Ismail Zakarneh of Qabatiya in the northern West Bank, carried out Wednesday’s attack in Jerusalem’s Old City, in which 19-year-old Border Police trainee Hadar Cohen was killed. A second policewoman was seriously injured.

Cohen was laid to rest on Thursday.

Earlier Friday, a Palestinian teenager threw a firebomb at Israeli soldiers in the south of the West Bank and was shot dead, the military said.

Border Police officer Hadar Cohen, 19, was killed in a terror attack at Damascus Gate outside of Jerusalem's Old City on February 3, 2016. (Israel Police) — Border Police officer Hadar Cohen, 19, was killed in a terror attack at Damascus Gate outside of Jerusalem’s Old City on February 3, 2016. (Israel Police)

At least two Palestinians threw Molotov cocktails at a military jeep on patrol close to Halhul north of the West Bank city of Hebron, a military spokeswoman said.

Responding to an “immediate threat”, the soldiers fired on them, killing one. The other was arrested, she said. The Palestinian health ministry confirmed the death, identifying him as 17-year-old Haitham al-Bau.

Elsewhere on Friday clashes erupted during a new “day of rage.”

A Palestinian protester uses a slingshot to hurl stones towards Israeli security forces during clashes outside the compound of the Israeli-run Ofer Prison near Ramallah on February 5, 2016 (AFP / ABBAS MOMANI)

Near Ramallah in the West Bank, clashes broke out as around 100 youths threw stones at Israeli soldiers who responded with live fire after using tear gas and rubber bullets, an AFP journalist said.

Clashes also broke out between Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli soldiers along the Gaza-Israel border.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said eight protesters were shot and wounded by army gunfire, including a 13-year-old boy left in critical condition by a bullet in the stomach.

Protests are common on Fridays, the Muslim day of rest, in Gaza as well as the West Bank.