Hebron, Palestine — A Palestinian died during an Israeli army operation in the southern West Bank before dawn on Tuesday, while troops shot a woman. Both incidents occurred in the Hebron area with tensions running high ahead of the Yom Kippur and Eid Al-Adha holidays and after three days of clashes rocked occupied Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque compound last week. Palestinian security officials said Dia Al-Talahmeh, 21, was shot dead by Israeli troops in the village of Dura near Hebron. Separately on Tuesday morning, Israeli troops shot and wounded a Palestinian woman at a checkpoint near the center of Hebron, witnesses said. Israel has deployed thousands of extra police in east Jerusalem and closed it off from the rest of the West Bank. Israel says it will reinstate a rule banning Muslim men under age 40 from Al-Aqsa Mosque as a measure to ensure calm during an upcoming Jewish holiday. Police said security will be beefed up and Muslim men under age 40 will be banned from the compound's Al-Aqsa Mosque for the 25-hour Yom Kippur fast starting at sundown Tuesday. Authorities also said 66 people had been arrested in occupied Jerusalem during the past week. From Monday night, traffic was restricted around the Old City and checkpoints were set up. Muslims have been alarmed by an increase in visits by Jews to the site and fear rules governing the compound will be changed. Jews are allowed to visit but not to pray to avoid provoking tensions. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said repeatedly he is committed to the status quo at the site. Israel seized east Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, in 1967 and later annexed it in a move never recognized by the international community. In a further sign of tight security, Israel has also deployed two anti-missile batteries around the cities of Sderot and Netivot near the Gaza Strip, army radio reported. — Agencies
