Israeli troops on Thursday clamped curfews on refugee camps in the Gaza Strip after widespread rioting.
The worst disturbances broke out at the Jabalya camp in Gaza, when news reached it that a member of a terrorist group had been shot to death by a man he was trying to kidnap for collaborating with the Israeli authorities.
Riots also broke out at the Shuafat refugee camp in Jerusalem, where Israeli troops restored order and imposed a curfew.
Israeli sources linked the latest surge of unrest to the announcement that Soviet Foreign Minister Alexander Bessmertnykh will visit Israel next week and rumors that U.S. Secretary of State James Baker would return to the Middle East.
Observers say local leaders of the intifada are inciting violence to convey the impression of permanent crisis in the region.
As the Year Turns, Support the Journalism You Trust. JTA covers the stories shaping Jewish life around the world — with the depth this moment calls for. As you reflect on the year ahead, consider a gift that keeps independent Jewish journalism strong.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
