After a stormy night, Israel’s security agencies now prepare for more clashes in east Jerusalem and the West Bank. This morning was relatively quiet in east Jerusalem, but Israel fears this is only temporary. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said this morning that it has put Border Police reservists on alert, and could call them in soon if the security situation keeps escalating. Ten reservist companies were notified that their people could be summoned for army service in the coming days. This afternoon, Public Security Minister Omer Bar-Lev ordered an immediate mobilization of four Israel Border Police companies, which should assist the police forces operating in east Jerusalem.  

Riots are taking place on the backdrop of the Jewish Sukkoth holiday, when thousands of Israeli Jews traditionally visit Jerusalem and pray at the Western Wall.

Riots in the east Jerusalem Shuafat refugee camp started Oct. 8, after a Palestinian assailant killed IDF soldier Noa Lazar and seriously wounded a security guard. Clashes broke out when Israeli troops entered Shuafat to search for the assailant, who is still not captured. The refugee camp has been under closure since Oct. 8.

Last night, riots in Shuafat intensified, spreading to other neighborhoods in east Jerusalem. Fighting incidents between Jews and Arabs were reported last night in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, including both groups throwing stones at each other. Riots broke out also in the neighborhoods of Silwan, Kafr Aqab, A-Tur, Wadi al-Joz, Sur Bahar, Issawiya, Jabal Mukabar, Beit Hanina and Hizmah, with Palestinian protesters hurling rocks and Molotov cocktails at Israeli soldiers. The protesters also threw fireworks at the soldiers and set tires and trash cans on fire.