Palestinian stabs Israeli police in east Jerusalem, is shot

Jerusalem: A Palestinian stabbed and wounded two Israeli police officers in east Jerusalem near the Old City today before being shot by forces at the scene, police said.

Medics said a policewoman in her 20s was seriously wounded in the attack and a 45-year-old policeman was moderately wounded. A police spokeswoman said the perpetrator was a 20-year-old from east Jerusalem and believed to be in critical condition.

Today was the sixth attack on Israeli security forces or civilians since Friday after a three-week lull in a nearly year-long wave of violence.

The attack took place by the Herod's Gate entrance to the Old City, a short distance from the Damascus Gate where on Friday a Jordanian was shot dead after attempting to stab a police officer.

Since October, 227 Palestinians, 34 Israelis, two Americans, one Jordanian, one Eritrean and a Sudanese have been killed in ongoing violence, according to an AFP count.

Israeli forces say most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks. Others were shot dead during protests and clashes.