Israel’s army has cordoned off Ramallah, the Palestinians‘ administrative center in the West Bank, in search of alleged Palestinian assassins. According to Palestinian media reports, this is the first time since the second intifada. The Palestinian uprising ended in 2005.
Reason for the action is an attack north of Jerusalem, according to army information. A Palestinian shot dead two Israeli soldiers. Two more people were injured, Israeli rescue service Zaka said.
According to the army, the attacker opened the fire on people at a bus stop in the morning. He had fled his car. The army then searched the area around Ramallah.
In search of the assassins, Israeli security forces killed two alleged Palestinian assassins from the West Bank during attempted arrests. Two other Palestinians were reportedly shot dead in their own attacks.
Netanyahu threatens to expand settlements
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced an expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank in response to the attack . Among other things, the construction of 82 apartments in the settlement Ofra should be approved. In addition, thousands of homes should be legalized.
More than 600,000 Jewish settlers live in the West Bank and East Jerusalem amidst some three million Palestinians. The UN considers all settlements illegal. Israel distinguishes between settlements built with government approval and illegal outposts.
The radical Islamic Hamas praised the attack north of Ramallah. The office of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas denounced the violence, but blamed the lack of prospects for peace and the actions of the Israeli army in the Palestinian cities.
