Dozens of Palestinians arrested by Israel following drive-by shooting

Dozens of Palestinians have been detained by Israeli security following the killing of two people in a drive-by shooting attack in Jerusalem on Sunday.

The 31 Palestinians were said to be "celebrating the memory of the assailant" as well as members of his family in east Jerusalem, Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan told army radio.

Some 15 other Palestinians were arrested for throwing stones and Molotov cocktails at security forces in east Jerusalem.

The arrests come after Sunday's attack in which a 39-year-old Palestinian opening fire from a car in Jerusalem and again as police chased him.

Two Israelis were killed, including a police officer and a 60-year-old woman. The attacker, Misbah Abu Sbeih from the Silwan area of east Jerusalem, was killed by police.

Sources in Jerusalem told The New Arab that Israeli police had deployed thousands of members and border guards in Jerusalem and set up checkpoints around Palestinian neighborhoods and towns.  

Engineering units from the Israeli army were deployed to conduct measurements of the house of Abu Sbeih, apparently prepararing to demolish the building. 

Palestinian media said the suspect was due to begin a four-month prison term on Sunday for attacking an Israeli police officer in 2013.

Israeli media reported Monday that he used an M16 rifle issued by the Israeli military in the attack, though that had not been confirmed by authorities.

The shooting rampage comes at a time when settlers are increasingly attempting to storm al-Aqsa Mosque compound in east Jerusalem for the holidays of Rosh Hashanah, which was last week, and Yom Kippur, which begins Tuesday evening.

Violence since October 2015 has killed at least 232 Palestinians, 36 Israelis, two Americans, one Jordanian, an Eritrean and a Sudanese national, according to an AFP count.