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Clashes Erupt In Jerusalem Over Palestinian Teen's Funeral

A Palestinian throws a stone during clashes with Israeli police after prayers on the first Friday of the holy month of Ramadan in East Jerusalem on Friday. The clashes came ahead of the funeral of a slain Palestinian teenager.
Baz Ratner Reuters /Landov
A Palestinian throws a stone during clashes with Israeli police after prayers on the first Friday of the holy month of Ramadan in East Jerusalem on Friday. The clashes came ahead of the funeral of a slain Palestinian teenager.

Israeli police clashed Friday with Palestinians in East Jerusalem, ahead of a funeral for an Arab teenager who Palestinians say was killed by Israeli extremists.

Daniel Estrin is reporting on the story for our Newscast unit. He says:

"Police say Palestinian demonstrators tried to break through a police barrier near the Old City. And in other neighborhoods of East Jerusalem, demonstrators threw rocks at police. Police responded with stun grenades. Police have increased patrols throughout the city, as Friday prayers of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan coincide with the funeral of the Palestinian teen. The 16-year-old boy was seized from his home Wednesday in East Jerusalem and his burned body was later found in a forest. Israeli leaders condemned the killing. Police are still investigating, but Palestinians say Israeli extremists killed him. Tensions are high following the recent kidnapping and killing of three Israeli teens."

Meanwhile, there were more rockets and mortars fired from the Gaza Strip toward Israel. A two-year-old cease-fire between Hamas, which runs Gaza, and Israel ended after the three abducted Israeli teens were found dead. Israel blames Hamas for their killings, and launched multiple airstrikes over the Gaza Strip. It also deployed troops along the border with Gaza.

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Hamas officials say they are not interested in an escalation with Israel, and the Israelis say they are not seeking a war. The BBC reported Friday that Egypt had brokered a potential cease-fire between the two sides. There was no independent confirmation of that news report, but Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman called a potential cease-fire "a grave mistake."

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