UN and France Criticize Israel's Response to Armed Attack

The United Nations criticized Israel's measures following last Wednesday's armed attack in Tel Aviv, stating that such decisions by the Israeli government could constitute "collective punishment" for Palestinians and are contrary to international law. According to Reuters, Jordanian Prince Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, said on Friday, June 21, that Israel's revocation of work permits for all Palestinians "intensifies feelings of injustice and frustration among Palestinians." The Israeli security cabinet ordered on Thursday, just hours after the attack by two Palestinians in Tel Aviv, that the work permits of 83,000 Palestinians, including 289 relatives of the attackers, be revoked. The entry of Palestinians into Israel to visit their relatives during Ramadan, which had previously been permitted, was also canceled. Meanwhile, France also criticized Israel's decision on Friday to revoke work permits for all Palestinians. French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault stated that this decision increases tensions between Israelis and Palestinians and worsens the situation. He called on Israel to exercise restraint in response to the Tel Aviv attack and urged the international community to support France's political initiative to resume peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. Recently, France hosted an international conference for Middle East peace, which ultimately concluded without a clear outcome. Reports indicate that Israeli soldiers have besieged the settlement of Yatta in southern Hebron, preventing the entry and exit of its 20,000 residents since hours after the killing of four Israelis in Tel Aviv. This settlement is home to the families of the two Palestinian cousins involved in the Tel Aviv attack. Khaled Mousa Maharmeh and Mohammad Mousa Maharmeh, both 21 years old and studying and working in Jordan, were arrested following the Tel Aviv attack; one of them is injured and under Israeli security forces' supervision in the hospital. Israeli media reported that the army has "mapped" the parents' house of these two Palestinians in Yatta, which is on the verge of being demolished. Avigdor Lieberman, Israel's new defense minister, stated in an emergency cabinet meeting on Thursday, "The homes of terrorists must be demolished within 24 hours." Meanwhile, according to Haaretz, the Israeli army demolished the house of a 16-year-old Palestinian who had killed an Israeli woman in the village of Beit Ummar early Saturday morning, June 22. Murad Badr Abdullah Dis, the Palestinian teenager, had stabbed Dafna Meir, an Israeli woman, five months ago in the Jewish settlement of Otniel. Hamas condemned Israel's actions in demolishing Palestinian homes and announced that Israel had arrested dozens of Palestinians in the West Bank en masse since early Thursday. Hamas spokesperson Hussam Badran praised the attackers in Tel Aviv, stating, "We have more surprises for the Israelis during Ramadan." The Israeli army announced that until the morning of Monday, June 24, all Palestinians' entry into Israel is prohibited due to concerns about repeated attacks during the religious holiday of Shavuot, which takes place on Sunday. Meanwhile, around one hundred thousand Palestinians living in East Jerusalem and its surroundings were able to hold the first Ramadan prayer at Al-Aqsa on Friday.