The two were killed in clashes that erupted when Israeli troops stormed the refugee camp to demolish the home of Palestinian Mohammed Abu Shahin early on Monday.
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Those visitors include many from the growing number of Jewish settlers in the West Bank – territory that Palestinians envision as part of a future independent state.
Army sharpshooters also occupied the rooftops of several homes in the refugee camp, shot and injured 34 Palestinians with live rounds; a few of the wounded suffered moderate to severe wounds. Israeli forces have killed more than 85 Palestinians in the West Bank, Jerusalem and Gaza Strip since October 1, more than half of them shot while or after attacking Israelis.
A few of the Israeli comments regarding the French attack were coarse. “We will find the despicable murderers and bring them to justice as we have in the past”, he said in a statement.
Channel 10 released a dramatic audio of a call it said was from one of the passengers in the vehicle calling rescue services as the attack unfolded. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeatedly denies the allegations and vows to maintain the status quo of the holy complex.
Israeli officials and commentators also suggested that French intelligence agencies had failed the republic and that France needs to pursue a tougher, far more intrusive – more Israeli – response against militants.
“Our ambulance reached the scene, and the military refused to allow them and threatened them and told them to leave”, he said.
Dr. Tzvi Perry from Soroka hospital in the southern Israeli town of Beersheba said “five wounded people from the same family” were brought to the hospital. His wife, three daughters and another son had minor injuries. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said in September that Jews are “defiling” the complex with their “filthy feet” and that he blesses “every drop of blood that has been shed for Jerusalem”.
“If a survey is conducted among Palestinians about Friday’s attacks, I can’t wait to see what it reveals”, Marcus said dryly.
It’s been the reverse of the David and Goliath story usually portrayed in the American media – with Israel as the military Goliath and the Palestinians and Arabs the perennial underdogs.
The latest killings come amid a wave of Israeli-Palestinian violence in the last two months.
Palestinians say Israel’s attempt to link their liberation struggle and the Paris attacks is cynical and misleading, and seeks to shield Israel from the condemnation it deserves for 48 years of military occupation.
Citing an unnamed senior Israeli official, Channel Two said Israel saw a “clear operational link” between the Paris attacks, Thursday’s Beirut suicide bombings and the October 31 downing of a Russian airliner in the Egyptian Sinai.
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Israeli forces have killed at least 78 Palestinians, 45 of whom Israel says were carrying out or were about to carry out attacks.
