Rocket explodes in Israel, first attack from Gaza since November truce

The United Nations condemned the firing of a rocket from Gaza into Israel which it said had broken the longest ceasefire between the two sides in recent years. Gaza militants fired the rocket in what they said was a response to the death of a Palestinian prisoner in an Israeli jail at the weekend. There are mounting international fears that serious new unrest could erupt in the Palestinian territories. After several days of unrest, a measure of calm returned to the West Bank on Tuesday, despite an early-morning rocket from Gaza. Israeli military officials quoted by Maariv newspaper expressed optimism that the “wave of riots would subside and would not lead to a third intifada.” The military had on Monday noted “a drop in the number of incidents” while assessing that “the violence would continue at least until the arrival of US President Barack Obama on March 20.” The top-level trip, which will include talks in Jerusalem and Ramallah, will be the first time Obama has visited Israel and the Palestinian territories since taking over as president in 2008.

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