Two Israelis wounded in Jerusalem stabbings, attacker killed: Police

Jerusalem: A Palestinian stabbed and wounded two Israelis in annexed east Jerusalem on Friday before being shot dead, police said, despite tight security for Ramadan. One of the Israelis was in a critical condition and the other suffered serious wounds, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said. "Police units that responded at the scene saw the attacker with a knife. The attacker was shot and killed by police units," Rosenfeld said.

Police identified the assailant as a 19-year-old Palestinian.

The Old City, where the attack took place, has been the scene of numerous stabbings of Israelis by wildcat Palestinian assailants in recent years.

The first Israeli was stabbed near Damascus Gate. The second was attacked near Jaffa Gate on the other side of the walled city. Security has been stepped up across Jerusalem during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan.

Tens of thousands of believers were expected to gather at the Old City's politically contentious Al-Aqsa mosque compound later for the last Friday prayers of Ramadan. The attack came just two days before Israelis hold a major march to mark Jerusalem Day, the annual commemoration of the capture of east Jerusalem in the Six-Day War of 1967.It was later annexed in a move not recognised by the international community.

In December 2017, US President Donald Trump broke with decades of bipartisan policy to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital in a move that prompted the Palestinians to cut all contacts with his administration and which has sent tensions soaring.