Gunmen have killed an Israeli guard at a West Bank settlement, prompting several arrests by Israeli security forces. Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Security forces have increased their presence since Friday's killingImage: JAAFAR ASHTIYEH/AFP
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Israeli security forces made arrests on Saturday after the killing of a guard at a Jewish settlement in the West Bank.
Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, a militant group present in the West Bank, claimed responsibility for the killing, which, along with the killing of a Palestinian man by Israeli forces under disputed circumstances in the ensuing manhunt, brought a deadly end to a Friday marked by clashes at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
In the latest confrontations between Israeli police and Palestinians at the Al-Aqsa compound, more than 40 people were injured, some of whom were hospitalized.
What were the circumstances around the guard's death?
The security guard was shot dead by two men in a car, according to the Israeli army.
The army said the guard was on duty at the entrance to Ariel — an Israeli settlement and a city in the central West Bank — on Friday night when gunmen opened fire.
Emergency services said the man, who was in his 20s, died from the wounds incurred in the incident.
Meanwhile, security forces have increased their presence in the area, particularly at the entrance to the neighboring Palestinian community of Salfi.
On Saturday, authorities made arrests and seized weapons at nearby Bruqin and at the Balata refugee camp.
Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade claim responsibility
The militant group that said it conducted the attack is an armed force affiliated with the Fatah faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization, led by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade praised the killing of the guard and said it was in response to Israeli "violations" in Jerusalem.
During the Six-Day War in 1967, Israel captured the West Bank and east Jerusalem, which the Palestinians continue to claim as territory for their own independent state. More than 600,000 Israeli settlers currently reside in these areas.
In 2016, the UN Security Council called for an end to settlements in the occupied territories.
Passover in pictures: Jews observe holiday of deliverance
Jews around the world are observing Passover, which commemorates the escape of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. This year, it is taking place from April 5 to 13, coinciding with the Christian festival of Easter.
Image: Rafael Ben-Ari/Newscom/picture alliance
Passover: A celebration of freedom
Passover, which is also called Pesach or Pessach, is one of the major Jewish holidays. The week-long holiday, which begins at sundown on the first day, follows the lunar calendar and thus takes place on different dates each year, often falling in March or April. It celebrates the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Ancient Egypt, under the guidance of Old Testament prophet Moses.
Image: Jaafar Ashtiyeh/Getty Images/AFP
The story of Passover
According to the Old Testament, God told Moses to command the Pharoah to free the Israelites. When the Egyptian ruler refused, God sent 10 destructive plagues to the Egyptians, including the death of every first-born child. God told Moses the Israelites would be spared if they slaughtered a lamb and smeared its blood on their doors — in this way, they were "passed over."
Image: Uriel Sinai/Getty Images
Escape through water
After the death plague, the pharoah initially let the Israelites go but changed his mind and sent the army after them. When the Israelites arrived at the Red Sea, Moses held out his staff and God parted the waters so that they could cross. The Egyptian army was engulfed by the sea. The scene has inspired many works of art, such as this illustration from the Byzantine era.
Image: Maurice Babey/akg-images/picture alliance
A symbolic dinner
Many of the events from the biblical story are symbolized in the Passover meal, or seder. The most important seders take place on the first and second nights of the holiday. The meal is framed by the Haggadah (seen above), a text that recounts the Passover story and sets out the order of the proceedings. A seder's length can vary greatly depending on which Haggadah is used. Sometimes people sing.
At the center of the table is the seder plate with specific and symbolic foods upon it: a shankbone (for the sacrificed lamb); a hard-boiled egg (life and birth); bitter herbs like horseradish (the bitterness of slavery); a sweet paste called charoset (the mortar in the pyramids); and a leafy green like parsley (hope). A bowl of salt water on the table represents the slaves' tears.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Unleavened bread
Matzo, matza or matzoh: No matter how you spell it, one thing remains constant — there's no leavening agent in the thin cracker that is a key part of the seder. It's said that when the Israelites left Egypt, they left in such haste that there was no time to let the dough rise. Many Jews avoid leavened foods during all of Passover.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
A welcoming meal
Ten drops of wine representing the 10 plagues are placed on each person's plate. Participants are supposed to drink four cups of wine, which represent the four terms of redemption made by God to the Israelites. A fith cup is set aside for the prophet Elijah; many open their doors to let him in. This is also a symbol of openness — strangers and the needy are meant to feel welcome at a seder.
Image: Elaine Thompson/AP Photo/picture alliance
Diversity of food
The food served at a seder can vary greatly, depending on culinary traditions. Jews originally from Eastern Europe might eat a veal roast, those from North Africa might eat a tagine. There are many variations on how the sweet charoset is prepared.
(This is an updated version of a gallery that was published on April 14, 2022)
