Several Palestinians killed as Israeli far-right vows to impose order

At least four Palestinians are killed by Israeli forces, medics and security officials say as violence flares across Israeli-occupied east Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank.

Police shot the young man while he was on Al-Wad Road, near the Majlis Gate leading to the Al Aqsa Mosque, according to eyewitnesses.
AP

Police shot the young man while he was on Al-Wad Road, near the Majlis Gate leading to the Al Aqsa Mosque, according to eyewitnesses.

Israeli forces killed at least four Palestinians in separate incidents, including one in east Jerusalem and three others in Israeli raids in the occupied West Bank.

The violence on Thursday flared as Israel tallied the final votes in national elections held this week, with former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu expected to lead a comfortable majority backed by ultra-far-right allies.

Israeli troops operating in the West Bank city of Jenin killed at least two Palestinians, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. 

The Israeli military did not immediately provide details on the operation.

Earlier Thursday, the Palestinian Health Ministry said a Palestinian man was killed by Israeli fire in the occupied West Bank. 

Israeli police said it happened during a raid in the territory and alleged the man threw a firebomb at the forces.

In a separate incident Thursday, a Palestinian man was killed by Israeli police in occupied East Jerusalem for allegedly stabbing an officer.

Police shot the young man while he was on Al-Wad Road, near the Majlis Gate leading to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, according to eyewitnesses.

According to Israeli authorities, police were arresting the man when he pulled out a knife and stabbed one of the officers.

"Two policemen shot the perpetrator," said the Israeli police.

READ MORE: Exit polls show Netanyahu's bloc ahead in Israel elections

READ MORE: Palestinians strike in the West Bank amid Israeli settler attacks

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New order under Netanyahu?

"The time has come to impose order here. The time has come for there to be a landlord," tweeted Itamar Ben-Gvir of the ultra-far-right Religious Zionism party. He was responding to the latest violence.

With more than 95 percent of ballots counted, according to Israel's Central Elections Committee, the results put the former premier Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing bloc solidly ahead in the country's fifth election in four years.

His Likud party, its ultra-Orthodox Jewish allies and a surging far-right alliance called Religious Zionism were on track for a clear majority in Israel's 120-seat parliament, spelling the end of an unprecedented period of political deadlock.

Caretaker Prime Minister Yair Lapid, a bitter Netanyahu rival, has not yet conceded defeat, after telling supporters of his centrist Yesh Atid party that the country needed to wait until all votes were counted.

As the remaining ballots were being tallied, the bloc that supports Netanyahu still held 65 seats. The small left-wing Meretz party was hovering below the 3.25 percent threshold needed to secure a minimum of four seats.

If Meretz crosses the line, it could alter Netanyahu's margin of victory, but would not necessarily threaten his majority.

READ MORE: Palestinians fear Netanyahu's comeback in Israel may lead to more violence

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