Palestinian authorities affirmed the death of a Palestinian youth in western Jenin on Sunday. The new death raised the total number of Palestinians shot dead by Israelis Sunday to five people, with two being in Jenin and three in Jerusalem, the authorities said. According to Israeli claims, the dead Palestinians were armed men belonging to Hamas, and were getting ready to execute attacks. The Palestinian Presidency strongly condemned the Israeli occupation forces for killing at least four Palestinian youths in the West Bank on Sunday. "This is a new ring in the chain of violations and field executions against the sons of the Palestinian people," according to a presidential statement carried by the Palestinian News and Information Agency (WAFA). "Israel persistence in this policy risks exploding the situation and creating more tension and unrest," the statement warned. Blaming this escalation and its possible consequences on Israel, the Palestinian presidency called on the international community to step in and force Israel into stopping the field executions and bringing the culprits of these crime to book. Earlier today, the Palestinian Ministry of Health confirmed that three youths were martyred in Badwe village, north Jerusalem, and another one in Burqin village near Jenin town, to the north of the West Bank. Governor of Jenin Akram Al-Rajjoub said the body of a fifth victim from Burqin village is kept by the Israeli forces; the victim has yet to be identified. Four other Palestinians were injured in clashes with the Israeli forces and two others were injured and detained Meanwhile, Israeli media reported, according to the Border Police, the Israeli troops had entered the city on an arrest raid. During the operation, "the force came under heavy fire from close range from a large number of terrorists," the police said. "Undercover officers from the Border Police returned fire at the fighters and neutralized them," according to police. The target of the arrest raid in Jenin was said to be Muhammad Abu Zina, who was detained in the operation. The Shin Bet security service declined to comment on the record. According to an Israeli security official, Abu Zina had worked with the Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror groups to plan attacks in the West Bank in the past. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas denounced the four deaths, warning that similar Israeli actions could further escalate an already tense West Bank. "We express the presidency's strong anger and condemnation toward this heinous crime. The continuation of this Israeli policy will lead matters to explode, and to more tension and instability," Abbas spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh said in a statement. In Cairo, the Arab League strongly condemned on Sunday the heinous violation actions in Jenin and north Jerusalem, which resulted in the martyrdom of five people and others who were injured. The Arab League said in a statement that this comes within the framework of the continuation and escalation of the "Israeli aggression on the rights and existence of the Palestinian people. It held the occupation authorities and the Israeli government are responsible for the crimes that threaten international security and stability. It stressed the necessity of implementing international resolutions on providing an international protection system in the occupied Palestinian territories, calling the international community to take responsibility and halt the Israeli unlawful actions. A mechanism should be put in place to protect the Palestinians and their territories and the historical and religious sites, it added. The league affirmed their full support to the Palestinian cause against the wrongful practices of Israeli occupying forces. — Agencies
