Palestinians begin strike to protest Israeli killings

Palestinians staged a general strike in the occupied West Bank on Thursday in mourning for the killing of four people by Israeli army forces, Anadolu Agency reports.

Two Palestinians were shot dead by Israeli soldiers in the cities of Ramallah and Bethlehem on Wednesday. Two other Palestinians were fatally shot on Thursday during an Israeli raid in the town of Kafr Dan, northwest of Jenin city.

Hundreds of Palestinians participated in the funeral of the two Palestinians killed on Thursday, which was followed by a general strike that brought life to a halt in the Palestinian territories.

Raed Abu Bakr, a journalist in Jenin, told Anadolu Agency that classes in the towns of Kafr Dan and Masliah, from where the two young men hail, have been suspended.

READ: Palestinian killed by Israel forces in Nablus

Public and private businesses in Ramallah also joined the strike in response to a call from Palestinian group Fatah to express anger over the killings.

In a statement, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned “in the strongest terms the continuing crimes of the occupation.”

The ministry called on the International Criminal Court to “break its silence immediately, and start an investigation into the crimes of the occupation.”

Meanwhile, Fatah member Hussein al-Sheikh told the Voice of Palestine radio that the Palestinian leadership is considering “taking strategic decisions regarding the current situation”, without giving further details.

He said the Palestinian leadership will hold an emergency meeting to discuss the current situation, without specifying an exact date.

Tensions have been running high across the Palestinian territories since the beginning of April amid repeated Israeli raids to arrest “wanted” Palestinians.

Last month, at least 23 Palestinians and 14 Israelis were killed in attacks in the West Bank and Israel.