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PA condemns Israeli attempts to escalate tensions in the West Bank

February 20, 2014 at 3:34 pm

The Palestinian Authority (PA) denounced what it described as an attempt by the Israeli government to escalate the tensions in the occupied West Bank before the PA seeks a UN resolution acknowledging an independent Palestinian State next month.

The Palestinian presidency spokesperson Mahmoud Abu Rodeina condemned Israel for randomly firing live ammunition at Palestinian citizens in the Qalandiya refugee camp in the governorate of Ramallah, which killed two and caused serious injuries to a number of Palestinians


“We condemn the Israeli crime that occurred in Qalandiya camp today, and led to the martyrdom of two youths,” he said. “This is an Israeli attempt to escalate the tensions before September and comes alongside continued attacks by settlers against [Palestinian] citizens and their property,” he added.

Abu Rodeina held the Israeli government responsible for this escalation.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that not only do Israeli soldiers have the right to defend themselves against those who attack them, but it is their duty to do so.

Moatassem Adwan, 22, and Ali Khalifa, 23, were killed by Israeli soldiers in a wide Israeli arrests campaign in the Qalandiya camp to the south of Occupied Ramallah.

Commenting on the Israeli operation yesterday, the British Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, Alistair Burt, said:

“I am concerned about the incident which took place in Qalandiya refugee camp yesterday in which two Palestinians were killed during an IDF operation. The circumstances leading to these two deaths needs to be fully investigated.  I urge both sides to exercise restraint and avoid inflammatory actions such as this.”