Israeli military forces have shot and killed a Palestinian teenage girl as tensions continue in the occupied Palestinian territories as part of the aftermath of US President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel’s capital and relocation of the US embassy to the occupied city.
Israeli media outlets asserted that the knife-wielding Palestinian teenager sought to stab Israeli soldiers deployed at the al-Zaim checkpoint, which lies between Jerusalem al-Quds and Maale Adumim settlement, on Wednesday morning. The crossing was temporarily closed following the purported attack.
“A rapid response by additional security forces brought about her neutralization with no injuries to the security personnel,” the Israeli police said in a statement.
Palestine’s official Wafa news agency later identified the 16-year-old Palestinian girl as Sama Zuheir Mubarak, noting that she was a resident of al-Ram town northeast of Jerusalem al-Quds.
The dramatic shift in Washington’s policy vis-à-vis Jerusalem al-Quds on December 6, 2017 triggered demonstrations in the occupied Palestinian territories, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, Iraq, Morocco and other Muslim countries.
On December 21, 2017, the United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly voted in favor of a resolution that calls on the US to withdraw its controversial recognition of Jerusalem al-Quds as Israeli “capital.”
In an attempt to prevent the passing of the resolution, Trump threatened reprisals against countries that backed the measure, which had earlier faced a US veto at the UN Security Council.
On June 13 last year, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution, sponsored by Turkey and Algeria, condemning Israel for Palestinian civilian deaths in the Gaza Strip.
The resolution, which had been put forward on behalf of Arab and Muslim countries, garnered a strong majority of 120 votes in the 193-member assembly, with eight votes against and 45 abstentions.
The resolution called on UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to make proposals within 60 days “on ways and means for ensuring the safety, protection, and well-being of the Palestinian civilian population under Israeli occupation,” including “recommendations regarding an international protection mechanism.”
It also called for “immediate steps towards ending the closure and the restrictions imposed by Israel on movement and access into and out of the Gaza Strip.”