Israeli Policeman İnjured İn Jerusalem Clashes

An Israeli policeman was injured on Tuesday during clashes with Palestinian protesters in the occupied East Jerusalem, the Israeli police said.



According to the police, the injured policeman was hit by a stone and was moved to hospital with slight wounds.



Clashes were reported in several areas across the holy city, including Shuafat, Isawiya, and Jabal Mukabbir districts, the police said.



The Palestinian protesters hurled stones, Molotov cocktails and fireworks at the police troops, leaving a police vehicle damaged, the police added.



Tension has been running high in the Palestinian territories since Israel launched a military operation – dubbed "Operation Protective Edge" – in the Gaza Strip with the stated aim of halting rocket fire from the Palestinian territory.



Since July 7, Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip with fierce aerial bombardments. On Thursday night, Israel stepped up its offensive to include ground operations, sending thousands of troops into the embattled Palestinian territory.



At least 635 Palestinians have been killed – mostly civilians – and more than 4000 others injured in Israel's ongoing offensive, now in its third week.



Gaza-based resistance factions, meanwhile, have continued to fire rocket at Israeli cities in response to relentless Israeli bombardments.



According to official Israeli figures, 28 Israeli soldiers and two civilians have been killed since the hostilities began.



Israel's military operation is the self-proclaimed Jewish state's third major offensive against the densely-populate Gaza Strip – which is home to some 1.8 million Palestinians – within the last six years.



In 2008/9, over 1500 Palestinians were killed in Israel's three-week-long "Operation Cast Lead."



By Abdel-Raouf Arnaout



englishnews@aa.com.tr



www.aa.com.tr/en - Kudüs