Israel and the Palestinians are mired in their worst conflict in years as Israel pounds the Gaza Strip with air strikes and artillery, while Hamas militants lob rockets into the Jewish state. This comes after days of clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces in east Jerusalem, sparked by a years-long bid by Jewish settlers to take over Arab homes and by protests culminating in Israeli forces storming the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound. AFP takes a look at the events leading up to the recent escalation.