November 15 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The UN envoy for the Middle East peace process, Tor Wennesland, on Monday called for an immediate and exhaustive investigation into the death of a Palestinian girl during an operation in the West Bank town of Beitunia, located near Ramallah.
“Wennesland is shocked by the tragic murder of a 15-year-old Palestinian girl by Israeli security forces during a raid this morning,” said UN Secretary-General Deputy Spokesman Farhan al-Haq.
“He sends his deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. This requires an immediate and thorough investigation into his death,” it added.
Sources cited by the Palestinian news agency WAFA have indicated that the soldiers opened fire on the vehicle “for no apparent reason”, killing Al Tal and wounding another occupant of the car who has been detained by the Army.
A spokesman for the Israeli Army has pointed out that the military saw a suspicious vehicle and has added that, despite an order to stop, it sped towards them, causing them to open fire, as reported by the Israeli newspaper ‘Haaretz’.
Israeli forces have killed more than 200 Palestinians so far this year, including 144 in the West Bank and East Jerusalem — including 50 in the Jenin area — more than 50 in the Gaza Strip and four in Israel, according to data collected by WAFA.
Tensions have increased in recent months in the West Bank after the latest attacks against Israelis, which have left nearly 20 dead. In addition, Israeli security forces have detained nearly 2,000 suspects in numerous raids in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
