Israel to ‘strengthen’ settlements after Jerusalem shootings

After a cabinet meeting following a pair of shootings in Jerusalem, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has announced punitive steps against Palestinians and the government has moved to strengthen Jewish settlements. Netanyahu said the government would pursue sanctions against families of attackers and they would be stripped off social security and health benefits. The government's plans to strengthen settlements would be announced later this week. On Friday, nine Israelis were killed in an attack outside an East Jerusalem synagogue. On Saturday, a 13-year-old Palestinian boy, who was neutralised later, opened fire elsewhere in East Jerusalem, wounding two Israelis. The weekend shootings followed a deadly Israeli raid in the West Bank that killed nine Palestinians.