Both Israeli and Palestinian leaders have sought to calm a rise in street violence that has been exacerbated by confrontations around Jerusalem`s al Aqsa mosque complex, Islam`s third holiest shrine which Jews also revere as the vestige of their two ancient temples.
Four Israelis have been killed in stabbings in Jerusalem and a drive-by shooting in the occupied West Bank since Thursday, and two Palestinians have been shot dead and scores injured in clashes with security services, triggering fears of an escalation.
In the latest attack, an Arab stabbed a soldier on a bus in the southern Israeli town of Kiryat Gat, grabbed his gun and ran into a residential building, police spokeswoman Luba Samri said. He was shot dead by police special forces.
Samri did not immediately say whether the assailant was Palestinian or a member of Israel`s Arab minority. Kiryat Gat, and surroundings has been relatively peaceful in recent months, but are a short drive from the occupied West Bank and the Palestinian Gaza Strip.
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