Expressing serious concern about ‘Israel’s excessive use of force, UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in its annual report that thirty Palestinian children have been killed by Israeli soldiers and settlers, which is the highest figure recorded since 2006.
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Over the last eight months, Palestinians have carried out dozens of attacks on civilians and security forces, mostly stabbings, shootings and vehicle ramming assaults that have killed 32 Israelis and two Americans.
Tensions are especially high now after Palestinian gunmen killed four people and wounded five others in a popular and crowded area of Tel Aviv on Wednesday night.
The closure also coincided with the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, which was celebrated on Sunday.
The Israeli public radio said that Ide’is carried out a stabbing attack near Onteil settlement in the west Bank last January, killing one woman.
The West Bank village of Yata has been blockaded and the Israeli miilitary has revoked travel permits for more than 80 thousand Palestinians to visit Israel during the holy month of Ramadan.
Israel regularly shuts crossing points during major Jewish holidays, when large numbers of Israelis congregate to pray or celebrate, presenting a potential target for Palestinian attacks.
While Hussein’s spokeswoman said he condemned the Tel Aviv attack, he stressed that the move by Israel “may amount to prohibited collective punishment and will only increase the sense of injustice and frustration felt by Palestinians”, Reuters reported.
Tens of thousands of Palestinian workers are forced to seek a living by working in Israel due to crippling unemployment in the West Bank, as the growth of an independent Palestinian economy has been stifled under the ongoing Israeli military occupation, according rights groups.
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According to Israel Police, the plans are meant to maintain public order while allowing freedom of worship.
