Palestinian who tried to stab soldiers shot dead

An initial report by the army said that a Palestinian man ran at the soldiers with a knife at the Hawara checkpoint.

A Palestinian was shot dead on Sunday after he allegedly attempted to stab Israeli soldiers in the West Bank, the Israeli military said in a statement.

He was later identified by locals sources as Rami Muhammad Zaim Awartani, 31.

A Palestinian father showed his “bravery” by sending his toddler to confront, and get killed by, Israeli soldiers. This year’s demolitions have left 740 Palestinians homeless.

Since Oct. 1, more than 200 Palestinians have been killed in clashes with Israeli forces or during alleged stabbing attacks while 38 Israelis or foreigners have been killed in such attacks.

The surge in violence has been fuelled by Palestinians’ frustration over Israel’s 48-year occupation of land they seek for an independent state, and the expansion of settlements in those territories which were captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war. Moscow is concerned with Israel’s plans to build new settlements in the West Bank, which is likely to hinder the resumption of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

Israeli settlements in east Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank are viewed as illegal under worldwide law.

After an Israeli-Turkish reconciliation deal in early July, Turkey sent an aid ship to Gaza through an Israeli port and a delegation that met separately with Israeli, Palestinian and Hamas officials to explore Gaza’s energy crisis and outline possible solutions.