Israel's Netanyahu calls for 'calm' after days of Jerusalem violence

The prime minister also warned that Israel remains "prepared for all scenarios" after dozens of rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israel overnight, prompting Israel to bombard the besieged strip with air strikes.

He made the remarks after attending an emergency security meeting with senior officials, including army chief Aviv Kohavi, hours after Israeli warplanes struck Gaza early on Saturday and a second night of violence triggered by a far-right Jewish activists’ march through Jerusalem to "restore Jewish dignity" while shouting "Death to Arabs". 

Thirty-six rockets were launched, the Israeli army said, the most in a single night this year.

”First of all we want to ensure that law and order are respected... now we demand compliance with the law and I call for calm on all sides," Netanyahu said in a statement after the security talks.

The violence was the worst in years between Israeli police and Palestinians in the disputed Holy City. 

Nightly disturbances have continued unabated with at least 105 people were wounded on Thursday evening alone.

Witnesses have said that Israeli police largely stood by as Jewish extremists attacked Palestinian individuals and property. Around 50 arrests were made, among them Palestinians who threw rocks at police and far-right agitators.

Expressions of concern and calls for restraint have come from the United States, European Union, United Nations and other countries.

'Playing with fire'

The United States, which has taken a more even-handed approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since President Joe Biden took office in January urged "calm and unity".

"The rhetoric of extremist protesters chanting hateful and violent slogans must be firmly rejected," State Department spokesman Ned Price tweeted.

Skirmishes broke out again on Friday when tens of thousands of Muslim worshippers left Jerusalem's revered Al-Aqsa mosque after night prayers and found themselves confronted by dozens of armed police, some on horseback.

Protesters hurled water bottles at police, who fired stun grenades to disperse them.

Hundreds of Palestinians also rallied at the Qalandiya checkpoint between Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank, police said. 

Thursday's march into the heart of Arab east Jerusalem by hundreds of supporters of far-right Jewish nationalist group Lehava added fuel to the fire.

Jerusalem mayor Moshe Lion told public radio he was in talks with Palestinian community leaders in east Jerusalem "to end this pointless violence" and that he had tried to cancel the march.

The office of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas condemned "the growing incitement by extremist far-right Israeli settler groups advocating for the killing of Arabs".

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi condemned "racist attacks" by Israelis against Palestinians in east Jerusalem and called for "international action to protect them".

"Jerusalem is a red line and touching it, is playing with fire," he warned.

UN special coordinator for Middle East peace Tor Wennesland, urged all sides to "exercise maximum restraint and avoid further escalation", adding "the provocative acts across Jerusalem must cease".

Gaza rocket fire 

Meanwhile, Hamas’s military wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, voiced support for the east Jerusalem protesters.

"The spark you light today will be the wick of the explosion to come in the face of the enemy," it said in a statement.

An alliance of Palestinian militant groups, including Hamas and its smaller ally Islamic Jihad, issued a statement warning we "cannot remain silent" in the face of the violence.

Militants in Gaza fired a first salvo of three rockets at Israel shortly before midnight (2100 GMT) Friday, the Israeli military said.

Israeli tanks shelled Gaza in response and launched air strikes on the blockaded coastal enclave controlled by Hamas.

The Israeli army said the 36 rockets fired at Israel were intercepted or hit open ground.

It said the air strikes involving fighter jets and attack helicopters struck Hamas military targets as well as underground infrastructure and rocket launchers.

"Concerning the Gaza Strip, I gave instructions that we be prepared for all scenarios," Netanyahu said.

Agencies contributed to this report.

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