Originally posted by the Voice of America. Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America, a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in the public domain. Kerry to Meet With Netanyahu, Abbas Amid Ongoing Violence by VOA News U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday said he will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Germany this week, then with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, amid more than two weeks of deadly clashes between Israelis and Palestinians. On Sunday, Israel's military removed dozens of Jewish worshippers who clashed with Palestinians after illegally entering a biblical shrine in the West Bank that was recently torched by Palestinians. Sunday's incident comes one day after a surge in violence between Palestinian teenagers and Israeli police in the occupied West Bank town of Hebron and in Jerusalem, where police reported at least four knife-wielding Palestinians, including a 16-year-old girl, killed in separate incidents. Four Palestinians were killed in the attacks. A fifth Palestinian was shot after a third stabbing attack in Hebron, but authorities did not say whether he was killed. Authorities said several Israeli security personnel were wounded in the attacks. Weeks of violence At least 40 Palestinians and seven Israelis have died during weeks of street violence that Palestinian officials have linked in part to increasing Jewish encroachment at the east Jerusalem holy site known to Muslims as the al-Aqsa mosque and to Jews as the Temple Mount. ''Israel has adamantly denied Palestinian claims that it intends to take over the holy site. The military said about 30 Jews descended early Sunday upon the Joseph's Tomb compound in Nablus, a site revered by Jews as the tomb of the biblical figure Joseph. When the Jews arrived, they were confronted by Palestinians and a violent clash ensued. In consultation with Palestinian security forces, the military extracted the worshippers who did not have a permit to be at the site. One of the worshippers was lightly wounded and five were taken for police questioning. On Friday, Palestinian assailants had firebombed the West Bank compound, the first assault on a religious site. Saturday attacks On Saturday's attacks, Israeli police said a border guard manning the Qalandiya checkpoint between Jerusalem and the West Bank shot a knife-wielding Palestinian youth, first wounding the attacker and then killing him after the assailant tried for a second time to stab the guard. The death occurred as hundreds of Israeli and Arab activists gathered in Jerusalem Saturday evening for a peace rally. '' 'In another incident, police said a 16-year-old was killed in the same area earlier Saturday after a bystander told police the youth was acting suspiciously and police asked him for identification. Authorities said two officers shot the suspect when he tried to stab them. In Hebron, the Israeli military said a Palestinian was fatally shot while trying to stab an armed Israeli settler. In a second incident in Hebron, police said a Palestinian girl was killed while trying to stab a female Israeli soldier outside a checkpoint. A third Palestinian was shot by police in Hebron after stabbing and wounding a police officer after nightfall. 'Say no to hatred' Elsewhere Sunday, Pope Francis called for those caught up in violence in the Holy Land to have the "courage and fortitude to say no to hatred." "I follow with great concern the situation of tension and violence that plagues Holy Land," he said during Sunday's Angelus prayer in Saint Peter's Square. "There is a great need now for the courage and fortitude to say no to hatred and revenge and make gestures of peace." ''The top U.S. military officer, Marine General Joseph Dunford, visited Israel Sunday for a visit that the Israeli ambassador to Washington said would include defense-aid discussions. Ambassador Ron Dermer said Israel and the United States have resumed talks on future defense aid that Prime Minister Netanyahu suspended in protest at the Iran nuclear deal. Dermer added that Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, visiting Washington later this month, would pursue those talks, as would Netanyahu when he meets U.S. President Barack Obama in the White House on November 9. The allies had been looking to agree on a 10-year aid package to extend the current U.S. grants to Israel worth $3 billion annually, which are due to expire in 2017. But Netanyahu froze negotiations ahead of the July deal reached between Iran and world powers, which Israel deems insufficiently stringent. Washington concerns Obama, speaking Friday, called on regional leaders to "tamp down" on rhetoric that might feed "violence or anger or misunderstanding." He also said it is up to Israel and the Palestinians to decide whether to restart stalled U.S.-backed peace talks. "I think it's going to be up to the parties and we stand ready to assist, to see if they can restart a more constructive relationship." U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is set to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu next week. The State Department said that meeting will probably take place in Germany, although details have not been finalized. Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with the German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday. Robert Berger contributed to this report from Jerusalem. Some material for this report came from AP, Reuters and AFP. __________________________________________________________________ [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/israel-removes-worshippers-from-holy- site/3012406.html References 1. http://www.voanews.com/content/israel-removes-worshippers-from-holy-site/3012406.html