Palestine security officers killed during Israeli raid in West Bank

Agencies Ramallah Two Palestinian security officers were fatally shot by members of an Israeli special forces unit in the West Bank city of Jenin during a...

AgenciesRamallah Two Palestinian security officers were fatally shot by members of an Israeli special forces unit in the West Bank city of Jenin during a raid early on Thursday, according to Palestinian sources.The Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that the two victims were members of the military intelligence service. A third person was also killed, according to Palestinian sources.Palestinian officials named the two officers who were killed as Adham Alawi and Taysir Issa. Both were members of the Palestine Authority’s military intelligence department in JeninThere was no official reaction initially from the Israeli side.Israeli security sources said the special unit was in Jenin to arrest two fighters of the Palestinian militant organisation Islamic Jihad, who were suspected of contributing to attacks on Israeli soldiers in recent months.The Israeli sources added that during a gun battle, one of the suspects was shot and a second injured.Palestinian sources said undercover Israeli forces had entered Jenin for a raid and had fired at a vehicle carrying suspected members of Islamic Jihad near a building of the Palestinian intelligence service.Palestinian security forces then began to fire at the Israeli forces, who returned the fire.In addition to the two Palestinian security officers, one of the vehicle’s occupants was killed and another was arrested, said the Palestinian sources.The Israeli army usually coordinates operations in Palestinian towns with the local security forces; it’s unclear why the fatal accident occurred this time.A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned what he called a “dangerous Israeli escalation”, saying the three were killed by Israeli special forces who disguise themselves as Palestinians during arrest raids.The spokesman, Nabil Abu Rudaina, called on the international community and the United States to intervene to halt such attacks.Under interim peace agreements signed in the 1990s, the Palestine Authority (PA) has limited autonomy in scattered enclaves that together make up approximately 40 percent of the occupied West Bank. Israel has overarching security authority in the West Bank and routinely carries out arrest raids in Palestinian cities and towns administered by the PA.Under the 1993 Oslo agreements, the PA is obliged to share information with Israel about any armed resistance to the Israeli occupation in a practice known as “security coordination”, which was briefly suspended last year after Israeli plan to annex the occupied West Bank.Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip, has criticised the PA for the so-called “security coordination”. Many Hamas members have been arrested due to PA’s cooperation with Israeli authorities.Israeli forces frequently carry out arrest raids in the occupied West Bank. On May 25, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian during one such raid near Ramallah.Palestinian media reported that, following the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Jenin, Israel deployed reinforcements at the northern entrance to the Palestinian town. The incident comes weeks after a fragile peace was agreed following an 11-day Israeli war on besieged Gaza left more than 250 Palestinians dead, including 66 children.At least 12 people were killed in Israel in rockets attacks carried out by Palestinian armed factions.