Palestinians observe general strike in West Bank in protest at Israel's killings as Tel Aviv regime continues raids

Palestinians have staged a general strike in the occupied West Bank in protest at the latest brutal killings of Palestinians by Israeli forces, including the six Palestinians killed in clashes over the past 24 hours. 

Following the announcement of a day of mourning, Palestinians staged the general strike across much of the West Bank on Thursday, Palestine's official Wafa news agency reported.

Public transport stayed off the roads, while shops, businesses and schools remained closed across Ramallah and Bethlehem in protest at ongoing Israeli military raids and operations.

The Palestinians also took part in collective action in other main West Bank cities such as Jenin, and Tulkaram.

Palestinian factions, including the Palestinian Fatah Movement and several others, jointly called for the general strike.

The regime has stepped up its deadly acts of aggression across Palestinian territories since the start of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, causing Palestinians to intensify their resistance operations in response.

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About two dozen Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since March 22, as Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has already given Israeli forces a free hand to “defeat” what he called “terror” in the West Bank.

The Ramallah-based Palestinian leadership and Islamic resistance movements have strongly condemned the recent killings of Palestinians by Israeli military forces across the West Bank, stating that they exposed the appalling nature of the Tel Aviv regime.

Shops, businesses shut in general strike in Ramallah

Shops and businesses in the streets of Ramallah are shuttered as the West Bank cities of Ramallah and Bethlehem declared general strikes.

OIC warns against potential incursion of al-Aqsa by Israeli settlers

Separately, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) censured the recent attacks by Israeli military forces and warned against the potential incursion of Al-Aqsa Mosque by extremist Israeli settlers.

In a statement released on Thursday, Hussein Ibrahim Taha, the secretary general of the 57-member body held Israel fully responsible for the possible consequences of the continued cold-blooded killings of the Palestinian people, and the constant violations at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound. 

He also called on the international community, especially the UN Security Council (UNSC), to act swiftly to compel Israel to respect the sanctity of the holy sites.

OIC censures Israel’s hostile behavior in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood

The 57-member organization urged the international community to intervene for the good of the Palestinians.

Israeli forces and Jewish settlers have been preparing to storm al-Aqsa Mosque and perform their religious rituals, including slaughtering sacrifices inside the holy Islamic site during the Jewish Passover which starts on April 15.

The statement also strongly denounced the frequent assault by extremist settlers under protection of the Israeli regime forces.

The OIC considered this dangerous escalation a blatant provocation of sentiments of the entire Muslim Ummah and a flagrant violation of relevant international resolutions and covenants, it said.

Hardline Israeli legislators and settlers regularly storm the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied city, a provocative move that infuriates Palestinians. Such mass settler break-ins almost always take place at the behest of Tel Aviv-backed temple groups and under the auspices of the Israeli police in al-Quds.

OIC, Muslim countries, Hamas condemn Israeli settlers’ aggression against al-Aqsa Mosque

The OIC, Muslim states and Palestinian resistance movements condemn Israeli settlers’ attack on al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem al-Quds.

Israel occupied the eastern part of al-Quds during the Six-Day War of 1967.

Israel lays claim to the entire al-Quds, but the international community views the city’s eastern sector as occupied territory and Palestinians consider it the capital of their future state.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 478, adopted on August 20, 1980, prohibits countries from establishing diplomatic missions in al-Quds.

Palestinians want the occupied West Bank as part of their future independent state with East al-Quds as its capital. 

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