israeli troops kill at least six palestinians in a week of violence that spreads to the gaza strip. it's good to have you along. you're watching ajam live from london with me, david foster. also, a change of strategy. the pentagon giving up on a new syrian rebel course. >> these groups have no respect. >> the u.n. approves plans to give more power to european

union nations to try to stop the people smuggling. >> we're on the border of north korea and china trying to find out why a once strong relationship is increasingly strained. more than a week of violence in the occupied west bank in east jerusalem has spread to gaza where six palestinians palestinians were killed by israeli police. an israeli teenager and police officer died in separate attacks. we have updates in a moment. first, a report on the day's developments. >>reporter: protesters carry the injured to waiting ambulances. live ammunition was used by israeli citizens.

from the watch towers snipers shout at youths. >> hundreds turned out to protest in gaza and there was further violence in the occupied west bank. tear gas was used against funeral protesters outside the city of ramalla. in a video released on social media shows the moment before an israeli-arab teenager was shot by israeli border police. police say she was holding up a knife and posed what they said was an eminent threat.

this was denied by palestinian officials. al jazeera cannot independently verify the footage. friday's violence follows ten days of confrontation at al-asqa mosque compound. palestinian protesters say they believe jewish extremists will be allowed to enter the compound. israeli has said this will not be allowed. the protests have fuelled talk of a new up rising against israeli occupation but this has been down played by both sides. >> the battle of jerusalem is our battle and the west bank is our nation. we will not hesitate to be in the right place as usual and take the right action always to support our people. >>reporter: the prime minister of israel and the president of

palestine have called for calm. palestinian police say they continue to coordinate with israeli security forces to try to restore order but for now there are few signs of the violence dying down. now, we're in rem rem with the latest from there. >>reporter: it was an extremely tense day here in the occupied west bank. in total as we understand it, several palestinians were killed. one of them had actually stabbed an israeli soldier near the town of hebron. he was then trying to get his weapon when he was overpowered by israeli forces. six others have been killed during confrontations with the israeli forces on the eastern border of gaza. now, there is a metal fence that separates both sides. the protesters there have gone up to that fence.

they said in solidarity is what has been going on here in the occupied west bank and in east jerusalem for the past few days. they hurled stones at the israeli soldiers there and the response was gun fire, rubber bullets, tear gas, and we saw that the highest toll of the day was here in the occupied west bank. there were quite intense clashes that lasted several hours on the northern edge of the city of ramalla and there were also similar clashes in bethlehem, jericho. so certainly a very volatile situation. now to mike hannah who is in east jerusalem. >>reporter: a number of attacks still occurring in the occupied west bank and in israel proper. but some are different from what we've seen from recent days. in northern israel, a

palestinian-israeli woman attempted to stab an israeli soldiers. she was shot. police say moderately wounded. then in damona, an israeli 17 year old attacked four arabs, two residents of the west bank. two of them residents of a nearby village. they were moderate to seriously injured. the israeli attacker has been arrested. and one is seeing a pattern in an increase in israeli right wing activity. in west jerusalem overnight, a crowd of demonstrators gathered shouting insults towards arabs insisting they were going to march unoccupied east jerusalem. however, police disbursed them and a number of those israelis were disbursed. so continuing tension in various parts of israel and the occupied west bank. police say very difficult to deal with these attacks regardless of where they come from because they are unorganized and random.

the u.s. says it's stopping its syrian rebel training program. $500 million was set aside to eh equip and prepare thousands of troops outside syria to take on isil inside syria but only a handful made it back to the country and many of those gave themselves and their weapons up to the enemy. the u.s. says it's now looking at other ideas. let's go to rosalyn jordan in washington d.c. it didn't last long, did it, roz. when did it go so badly sphering. >>reporter: well, take a look at the very genesis of this idea, david. this was going back to september of 2014 when the u.s. military said that they felt perhaps the best way to go after isil inside syria would be to use local people because the u.s. did not

want to get into a war with syria. in fact, let's not forget the air war that the u.s. is conducting against isil in syria is being done without the permission of president bashar al assad. anyway, put that to one side. the fact is the people that the u.s. tried to recruit for this program were people who had taken up arms against bashar al assad's government in the ongoing civil war. well, they weren't so much interested in fighting against isil but the u.s. thought that they might be perhaps persuaded to do so if they gotted the training and the equipment -- got the training and the equipment and the support from the u.s. coalition air strikes. as you pointed out, because of the congressional requirement that these fighters be vetted, they only trained about 100 or so of these people and basically once they deployed to the battle field, they basically collapsed. either gave their weapons away or ran away or both. so this really was not a good idea from the very beginning and

this is now the obama administration conceding that we need to change course. this is john kirby, the state department spokesman. >> what you're seeing now is the focus now on the equipping aspect of that formula than the training aspect. but i think they also made clear that nobody is abandoning forever the idea of training. it's just that there's going to be a pause here while a focus is more aptly put on the equipping aspect. the other advantage to that is that it does not remove from the field and from the fight syrian fighters that are actively engaged against isil. you can supply them and eh equip them and support them while they're actively engaged in the fight against isil. >> okay. so instead of equipping and training they're going to send weapons and

logistical equipment to two groups already there. since congress has said we need to check everybody we're going to give weapons to, how do they make sure that under this second new program the weapons go to the right people? >>reporter: well, david, they said during a briefing with reporters here in washington, a telephone briefing, earlier on friday that they would be vetting the leaders of these groups. so it's sort of creating a possible loophole, don't you think? but that's what the obama administration says it's going to do. it's going to double check the people that they say that they've already gotten to know and they're basically going to trust that these folks are not going to turn their weapons over either to members of isil or to members of al nusra which is listed as a terrorist organization under u.s. law or to other groups that might be trying to take advantage of the chaos that's been created thanks to the ongoing civil war inside

syria. how well is that program going to work? well, they seem to be confident that it will, but of course we'll have to just watch and see exactly how this develop >> and we will. thank you. well, russia says its latest air strikes in syria have killed 200 fighters and destroyed underground facilities. moscow adds its planes killed another 100 fighters in the aleppo region. iran's revolutionary guard has confirmed the death of a top general in syria. he was an advisor to president bashar al assad's army. in other reports from neighboring lebanon. >>reporter: he was a top ranking member of iran's elite revolutionary guards but his death in syria's northern

province of aleppo leaves more questions than answers. a statement from the revolutionary guard says he was killed by isil forces while on a mission to advise the syrian army. some reports suggested the general was supposed to supervise a major operation to lift isil's blockade of a u.s. military base. fighters from the iranian backed lebanese movement hezbollah are in syria. in the mast he's spoken about his overstretched army and a lack of manpower but now russia has stepped in providing military support from the skies. their air strikes have mainly targeted strong holds of the various opposition groups fighting the government. a few have hit isil-controlled regions. but isil is on the move advancing on the ground.

despite russian air strikes, isil carried out a surprise attack. it's now at the door steps after aleppo city. they then captured territory from the government, areas under the control of the opposition in the eastern countryside of the province. isil now controls part of the main rebel supply line linking turkey to its strongholds in the city. aleppo is a divided city. the opposition controls the east and the government controls the west. but assad's forces hold positions on the outer edges in the industrial complex. isil's front line has moved. the group is now a few meters north in the aleppo infantry academy which was a base for the opposition. opposition forces are stretched fighting two enemies on multiple fronts and now in hama province they're trying to hold off an advance by government forces

that is supported by russian air strikes. another layer of confusion in the changing landscape of syria's war. we are reporting on why the nobel peace prize has been awarded to a group from tunisia. plus, i'll be telling you about this invasive weed and why malaria researchers here are so worried about it.

>> a reminder of the top stories

this hour. at least six palestinians shot and killed by the israeli army in the gaza strip. palestinians were also killed in the unoccupied west bank israeli police say a palestinian woman in the occupied west bank was shot after she stabbed an officer. four arabs and an israeli teenager were also stabbed in separate attacks. >> the u.s. says it plans to overhaul its program for training and supporting syrian rebels. the european union has been given authorization to seize people smugglers' vessels off the coast of libya. the all clear from the u.n. security council also said that boats can be destroyed to help stop traffickers from exploiting refugees. our dmro mattic editor reports from the united nations. >>reporter: the u.n. security council voting to endorse a european union naval operation off the coast of libya.

thousands of people have died making the journey. now the eu will patrol the high seas and intercept and later destroy theboats. the u.k. says it will save lives. >> any smugglers stopped will be arrested and their boats will be seized. we must not allow callous people smugglers to profit from the dispair of others. >>reporter: how far, libya said it would actually lead to more people making the journey from libya to europe. >> libya believes that the migrants knowing about the removal or reduction of the dangers they face at sea will increase the number of migrants and the number of migrants who enter libya through its open borders. >>reporter: the new eu operation will be limited to international waters. it doesn't go as far as the original european union plan

proposed in may. that suggested they'd operate on the libyan coast destroying smuggler boats there. for now, that idea is on hold. the nobel peace prize has gone to tunisia's national dialogue, a group praised for preventing the country for ending up in syrian war. here's this report from tunis. >>reporter: the announcement a surprise to be sure. >> the nobel peace prize for 2015 is to be awarded to the tunesian national dialogue quartet for its building of a pluralistic democracy in tunisia. >>reporter: while many nobel watchers had tipped pope francis to win, in the end, the nobel

committee sent a powerful message on the importance of pluralism and dialogue while other so-called arab spring countries were hit by violent conflict, tunisia's political process has been more peaceful. the national dialogue quartet, a democracy group is made up of four key organizations in society. the labor union, the confederation of industry, trade, and handy craft and the order of lawyers. formed in 2013 when tunisia's democratic process was in danger of collapsing, this was a period of social unrest and political assassinations. the quartet pushed for stability and inclusiveness and helped pull the country back from the brink of civil war. tunisia passed a new constitution and held successful parliamentary and presidential

elections. the nobel jury said they hoped the prize would contribute to tunisia and be an inspiration for all those who seek peace and democracy in the rest of the world. inspiration that is still needed in a country that's suffered from major attacks that have devastated its to your opinionism industry. this prize may have been unexpected but it's given hope to many in these difficult times in tunisia. at least 15 people have been wounded during preelection fighting in guinea. in parts of west kenya, one in four people have contracted malaria this year helped by an invasive weed. >>reporter: the international

center of insect physiology -- transmits malaria. they are trying to find out just how much gains have been made in the battle against malaria. mosquitos are attracted to the nectar of the weed. the research started in 2007 and it is still in its early days. but a lead researcher says the preliminary findings are worrying. >> it can live very long. it just tells us that when the mosquitos are eating the parasite, it can survive a lot longer. the question is if the mosquito is not infected by the parasite, what does it mean in terms of the impact on the survival of the mosquito. that, we don't know? >>reporter: this weed has

displaced many plants and can grow in any environment and any weather. a big concern is what it could mean in places where the malaria prevalence rates are still very high if the research concludes the weed also keeps the mosquito parasite alive longer, this could potentially be a big problem here. malaria is widespread in western kenya. strategies have helped ease the burden. despite that, about a quarter of the people who live here have been diagnosed with malaria this year. many more don't seek treatment. doctors say everyone must be made aware of the weed's danger. >> people need to know about this plant because it's common but some people don't know the effects it has on humans and anima

animals. >>reporter: she has been clearing the weed for years but it always grows back. he doesn't know about the link with malaria. he does know that none of his other plants can grow when it's around. >> when there's rain, it grows up very quickly. we don't know what we can do about it. but we're trying to cut it every season it comes out. >>reporter: back in nirobi, scientists continue to try to solve the problem. state run health services in the u.k. have sunk more than $1.5 billion into debt. the national health services under increasing pressure. >> the new national health service starts have you chosen your family doctor? >>reporter: it was an ambitious plan to bring free healthcare to all.

for decades it's been the pride of britain and now nearly 70 years on, the national health service is in crisis. under pressure and struggling to pay its bills. thousands of junior doctors have threatened to walk out in a row over pay and conditions. tom is a young doctor. he loves his job and always expected to work long hours. but worries a new contract which the u.k. government wants to introduce could push people too far. >> we care enormously about our patients and we want to help people. and we all knew there were long hours and it's a stressful job and we're prepared for that. >>reporter: the new contract will affect about 50,000 junior doctors working in england. the government has offered some concessions and say as tomorrow's leaders, junior

doctors should be treated with fairness. but what the row illustrates is the future of the nhs. worry that a system which is supposed to be the gold standard in care for everyone and not just the rich is being steadily dismant dismantled. claims the government denies. many junior doctors said this new contract will put more pressure on an already-squeezed service. many are considering going abroad to work. in places like australia and new zealand, they believe they'll be treated better. >> what we're really upset about is that if we work dangerously long hours then the decisions we make which are life and death decisions could be impaired and we don't want to end up in a situation where we're putting patients at risk because we're extremely tired or we're not able to make those decisions safely. >>reporter: if junior doctors in england do take action, it will be the first time since the 1970s. a period of discontent in

british life and one no government will want to live through again the relationship between china and north korea is under strain because of cross board crime. >>reporter: north korea is tantelizingly close here. this river marks the frontier between two supposed allies. but it appears relations are not what they were. a police road block outside the chinese village where four people were murdered last december. we were turned away. china's government blames north korean soldiers who came looking for food. >> this local man says more needs to be done to protect the

community. >> of course i worry about my safety but there's nothing i can do about it. i live here. >>reporter: like most people here, mr. lee is an ethnic korean. he lives in a village where three police surveillance cameras have now been installed. in total, ten people have been murdered in this remote region since last december. chinese government officials confirm another citizen was shot in the area two weeks ago but they won't say if they think north korea is to blame. in response to the murders, some have moved away. but villagers like this man had already begun to empty as younger generations left to find better prospects. only the elderly remain and they feel especially vulnerable now. when they cross the back on the recorder looking for food you just give it to them you'll be fine. if not, they might take revenge on you. the security fence is more than

three meters high here but some worry that the barrier is not enough to protect them. just across the border, a glimpse of everyday life in north korea and as you can see here there's a gap in the fence making it very easy for a north korean civilian or soldier to slip into china. china's government has shown willingness to publicize the murders, a sign of beijing's growing anger and frustration say analysts. >> i would say that the relationship may not be at a tipping point but it is definitely much worse than it's ever been. >>reporter: but china's ties with south korea have rarely been better. the president was a guest of honor at last month's big military parade in beijing. >> not only that, they're trying to present themselveses as a superpower engaged geo politically and north korea is an embarrassing blight on that sort of agenda. >>reporter: now though china

remains north korea's most important and far richer friend. but the tensions it's provoking along this border could put that friendship at risk. adrian brown, al jazeera, on the china, north korean border. and more available at aljazeera.com. vo: visitors to london could be forgiven for thinking they are seeing a quintessentially british town. the imperial architecture. the iconic black taxis and red phone boxes. but behind theic