New Violence on the West Bank Following Shooting at Temple Mount

Violence erupted anew on the West Bank, in East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip today in the aftermath of the shooting on the Temple Mount yesterday morning. The Arab population observed a general strike to protest the killing of two Arabs and the wounding of more than a dozen others by a man tentatively identified as Allan Harry Goodman, an American-Jewish immigrant serving in the Israel army reserve.

Marches and demonstrations in the occupied territories escalated into clashes with Israeli security forces. At least a dozen Arabs were injured as troops and border police fired weapons and used tear gas to disperse rioters in villages, towns and refugee camps.

Six Israelis and four tourists were hurt in stone-throwing incidents this morning. An NBC television cameraman received a bullet wound in the left shoulder. It was unclear whether it was a live bullet or a cartridge used to propell a tear-gas cannister. He was treated at a hospital and released.

Sixteen persons were reported hospitalized for injuries received in disturbances in East Jerusalem today. An Israeli woman and her two-year-old son were on the critical list for head wounds suffered when a bus was stoned near the Jewish suburb of Neve Yaacov.

ALMOST TOTAL GENERAL STRIKE

The general strike, called by the Moslem Supreme Council in East Jerusalem yesterday was almost total there and in the territories. Schools and shops were closed and public transportation was at a standstill. The Council, the supreme religious authority of Palestinian Arabs, renewed its call today for a week-long strike. In effect it rejected the Israel government’s expressions of regret over the shooting and the government’s contention that the killer was demented.

While the government condemned the shooting, it accused the Council of exploiting the incident for political purposes. A statement issued by the Prime Ministers Office today described the perpetrator as “mentally ill” and expressed pain over “the terrible sacrilege and the loss of life.”

At the same time, it cautioned the Moslem religious body against “spreading a blood libel.” The statement observed that the Council should “remember that the days of the Mufti, Al-Husseini, Hitler’s agent, are gone never to return.”

The reference was to the late Haj Amin Al-Husseini, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem during the British Mandate in Palestine, who incited to violence against the Jewish community and defected to the Nazis in World War II.

The statement by the Moslem Supreme Council today expressed disbelief that the man responsible for the shooting was mentally disturbed. It noted that it was hardly likely that an insane man would be inducted into the Israeli army.

Mayor Teddy Kollek of Jerusalem attempted to restore calm to the city. He raised no objection to an attempt by Moslem notables, escorted by Christian clergymen, to hold a “peaceful march” to the Temple Mount today. Kollek advised the police to allow the Moslem community to “let off steam.” But security forces halted the procession just as it got started on the main street of East Jerusalem and arrested several of the participants for questioning.

CASUALTIES MOUNTING

Meanwhile, casualties mounted throughout the occupied territories where order appeared to have been restored last week after 10 days of disturbances triggered by Israel’s ouster of three West Bank mayors. Incidents today ranged from attempted sabotage to fierce rock-throwing melees.

The Jerusalem-Tel Aviv railway line was blocked near the Arab village of Batir on the outskirts of Jerusalem. The barrier was removed without incident. But tires were burned in the village streets and several Israeli vehicles were stoned.

Serious disturbances were reported at the Deheishe refugee camp near Bethlehem. Arab youths blocked the Jerusalem-Beersheba road and threw rocks at Israeli soldiers and military vehicles. Soldiers opened fire, aiming at the feet of the Arabs. Tear gas was also used to quell riots in Ramallah and El Bireh north of Jerusalem.

The most serious disturbances occurred at the Nusseirat refugee camp near Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. A massive demonstration was held by Arabs waving Korans and Palestinian flags. Stones were thrown at Israeli vehicles. Soldiers opened fire, wounding six Arab youths.

In Rafah, on the Gaza-Sinai border, an Arab youth attempted to set fire to the town hall. Others stoned Israeli vehicles and hurled burning tires at the local branch of the Bank Hapoalim. The demonstrators reportedly were dispersed without casualties.

A curfew was clamped on the Balata refugee camp near Nablus after ripts this morning. In Nablus, an Arab youth was wounded when soldiers opened fire on stone-throwers in the central market place.

INVESTIGATION OF ASSAILANT CONTINUES

Meanwhile police continued to investigate the background of the man apprehended in the Temple Mount shooting. After some initial confusion, his name was given as Allon Harry Goodman, 38, originally from New Jersey. The first police reports yesterday had identified him as Elliot Guttman, 30. According to police he immigrated to Israel recently, was enlisted in an army reserve training program for older immigrants and was on active duty. He used on Israel-army issue American M-16 automatic rifle in his shooting spree.

The police reportedly have established that Goodman had no connection with the extremist Kach faction headed by Rabbi Meir Kahane, founder of the Jewish Defense League. A Kach spokesman in Jerusalem denied the group had any knowledge of Goodman and said Kach deplored his act.

But in New York today, Kahane told a press conference that Kach would provide a lawyer for the accused man and said it was “outrageous that people are throwing someone who is Jewish to the dogs.” According to Kahane, Goodman had visited Kach headquarters in Jerusalem several times to pick up leaflets.

The police investigation appears to be centered now on Goodman’s brother, reported to be in Europe, Kol Israel Radio said today, on grounds that both men are members of some other extremist Jewish group.

Although the police have given few details apart from identifying the accused man, they reportedly determined that his actions during the last few days indicated that the attack on the Temple Mount was premeditated. Eleven of the wounded remained hospitalized today, four in critical condition.

(In New York, the American Jewish Committee said today that it “shares the outrage and condemnation expressed by Israel’s government and people at the murder and the sacrilege committed yesterday.” The statement, issued by Rita Hauser, the AJCommittee’s foreign affairs commission chairperson, added: “Our sympathy goes out to the victims. Vigilante action, like terrorism, spawns hatred and death. Both must not only be condemned but halted, if peace is to come to the Mideast.”)