BETHLEHEM, West Bank — Red-faced men and women tumble into Mohammed Najar's home, choking on the tear gas that whitens the air outside.
Najar stands back while medics rush to treat them. He doesn't know any of the people involved in the chaos that erupted in his living room, but he cares for each one like family.
As clashes between young Palestinians and Israeli forces have become a daily occurrence, community members in the West Bank have banded together, with everyone playing a different part, from the women who brings fresh sandwiches to the woodworker crafting new slingshots.
"Our door is open to anyone that needs help," Najar, 52, who is retired, told USA TODAY. "Palestine needs all of us to do something to help keep each other safe."
Over the past month, nine Israelis were killed in Palestinian attacks, most of them stabbings, while 41 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire, including 20 labeled by Israel as attackers, and the rest in clashes with Israeli troops.
The outbreak was fueled by rumors that Israel was planning to take over Jerusalem's most sensitive holy site to both Jews and Muslims. Jews call it the Temple Mount, and the site is also home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam's third-holiest shrine and a key national symbol for the Palestinians.
Israel adamantly denies the allegations, saying it has no plans to change the status quo at the site, where Jews are allowed to visit but not pray. Israel accuses the Palestinians, including Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, of inciting violence through the false claims.
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