-Israeli Forces martyr 5 Palestinians killed in West Bank
DM Monitoring
BEIJING/WEST BANK: Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Zhao Lijian said on Wednesday that China firmly supported the Palestinian people in establishing an independent state and asked the international community to unswervingly adhere to the two-state solution. Tuesday, President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to the commemorative meeting of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
This is President Xi Jinping’s tenth consecutive congratulatory message to the commemorative conference, which fully demonstrates China’s firm support for the just cause of restoring the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people, and also reflects China’s responsibility as a permanent member of the Security Council, he said during his regular briefing held here. Zhao Lijian said that as President Xi Jinping pointed out in his message, the Palestinian issue was the core of the Middle East problem, which was related to regional peace and stability and international fairness and justice.
“The international community should unswervingly adhere to the two-state solution, put the question of Palestine high on the international agenda, and help the Palestinian people realize their dream of independent statehood at an early date,” he added.
The spokesperson said that China would continue to work with the international community to make positive contributions to the realization of lasting peace, general security and common prosperity in the Middle East.
It is worth mentioning here that on November 29, the United Nations held a commemorative meeting of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. Meanwhile, five Palestinian men have been martyred by Israeli forces in four separate incidents in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian and Israeli officials say.
Three men, including two brothers in their 20s, were shot dead during overnight clashes with Israeli troops near the cities of Ramallah and Hebron. Israel’s military said the fourth was shot after he rammed his car into a soldier, seriously injuring her.
The fifth reportedly died after fresh clashes near Ramallah in the evening. The UN has warned that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is “again reaching a boiling point” after an escalation of violence in the West Bank and Israel.
Israeli forces are carrying out search-and-arrest raids almost every night in the West Bank, where at least 140 Palestinians have been killed this year, most by Israeli fire. More than 30 Israelis have also been killed amid a spate of gun and knife attacks by Palestinians.
Jawad Rimawi, 22, and Thafer Rimawi, 21, who were students at Birzeit University, were killed early on Tuesday about 16km (10 miles) north-west of Ramallah. Palestinian sources said the brothers had visited a relative in the village of Beit Rima as Israeli forces carried out an operation in the area.
As the forces withdrew, confrontations broke out with dozens of young Palestinians, who threw stones and petrol bombs, the sources added. The Palestinian health ministry said the brothers were shot and taken to a local hospital, where they died.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that a “riot was instigated by a number of suspects” during a “routine” overnight activity. “The suspects hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails toward the soldiers, who responded with riot dispersal means and live fire,” it added.
