Unusual quiet prevailed in the West Bank. and Gaza. Strip on Wednesday. But the police were out in force in southern Israel to prevent further violence by Jews against Arabs.
They are patrolling the roads leading from the Gaza Strip into Israel proper, especially those passing near Kiryat Gat and the coastal cities of Ashdod and Ashkelon.
Local Jews have already killed one Arab by stoning. He was identified as Abdul Aziz a-Zabdi, 42, from the West Bank village of Dura, near Hebron.
Zabdi was fatally injured Monday, when a rock was hurled into his car from a passing vehicle near Ashkelon.
No arrests have been made, but police said they know the rock was thrown from a white GMC pick-up truck with Israeli license plates.
Another Arab vehicle was reported stoned on Tuesday. Apparently there were no injuries.
Attacks by Jews on passing Arab cars began over a week ago. They followed the discovery of the body of Avi Sasportas of Ashdod, an Israeli soldier missing since February, who is believed to have been murdered by Arab abductors.
In Gaza, authorities on Wednesday opened the first military appeals court in the territory since Israel took control of it 22 years ago.
The new court will give residents of the territory recourse to appeal the judgments of lower military courts, a legal avenue they did not have until now.
Meanwhile, the West Bank town of Anabta, which has been under continuous curfew for the past 20 days, is appealing for world support.
Local leaders released a statement Tuesday calling on international organizations to provide assistance. The townspeople are suffering from shortages of fresh food and cooking gas.
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