Two British-Israeli sisters killed in a gun attack in the occupied West Bank have been pictured for the first time.
Rina and Maya Dee were shot dead in an attack on their car near an Israeli settlement in the West Bank on Friday.
Naming the sisters for the first time, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “On behalf of all the citizens of Israel, I send my condolences to the family for the murder of the two wonderful sisters, Rina and Maya, in the severe attack in the Bekaa.
Rina and Maya Dee were killed in an attack on their car near an
(Family handout)
“In these moments, if the family is fighting for its life, and together with the entire nation of Israel, I pray for its safety, and we all send our condolences and strength to this dear family in this moment of great sorrow.”
The two sisters, in their 20s, were shot dead in an attack on their car near an Israeli settlement in the West Bank – while their 45-year-old mother was seriously wounded. Their father witnessed the incident from a separate car following behind, local officials said.
The family lived in the Efrat settlement, near the Palestinian city of Bethlehem, according to the settlement’s mayor Oded Revivi.
Friday’s attacks came after Israel launched retaliatory air strikes at Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.
Tensions have been heightened by days of fighting at Jerusalem’s most holy site during the rare convergence of Ramadan, Passover and Easter, sparked by an Israeli police raid on the sacred compound home to the Al-Aqsa mosque.
That outraged Palestinians marking the holy fasting month of Ramadan and prompted militants in Lebanon – as well as Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip – to fire a heavy barrage of rockets into Israel. In retaliation, Israeli warplanes struck sites allegedly linked to the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza and southern Lebanon.
Israeli police stand at the scene of the attack in Tel Aviv
(AP)
The Israeli military said on Saturday that three rockets were launched from Syria toward Israeli territory, a rare attack from the country’s northeastern neighbour.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the rocket launches, which caused no damage or casualties. Only one rocket managed to cross into Israeli territory and landed in a field in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights.
Also on Saturday, Israeli security forces shot and killed a 20-year-old Palestinian in the northern occupied West Bank, Palestinian health officials said. The Israeli military said it opened fire at Palestinians hurling stones and explosive devices at troops. The Palestinian Health Ministry identified the Palestinian killed in the West Bank town of Azzun as Ayed Salim.
Meanwhile, few hundred Palestinian worshippers barricaded themselves in Al-Aqsa mosque, which sits on a hilltop in the heart of Jerusalem’s Old City sacred to both Muslims and Jews.
Late on Friday, an Italian tourist was killed and five other Italian and British citizens were wounded when a car rammed a group in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv.
Palestinian Muslim devotees perform an evening prayer known as ‘Tarawih’ outside the Dome of the Rock shrine in Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa Mosque compound
(AFP/Getty)
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly held a call on Saturday with his Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen to discuss the “appalling” attacks.
Middle East minister Lord Ahmad said: “I condemn yesterday’s attacks in the West Bank, killing two British-Israeli nationals and injuring one other, and in Tel Aviv where an Italian national was killed and British nationals were injured.”
British Ambassador to Israel Neil Wigan added: “My thoughts are with those affected by another horrific terror attack last night in Tel Aviv, including one Italian tourist killed.
“British people are amongst the injured. We are in touch with the hospital and will offer our support.”
The Hamas militant group that rules Gaza praised both incidents as retaliation for Israeli raids earlier this week on the Al-Aqsa mosque.
People gather and lay flowers at the site where Alessandro Parini, an Italian tourist, was killed
(AP)
Foreign Affairs Committee chairwoman Alicia Kearns said it was “incredibly difficult to see how” the raid earlier this week was “legitimate” as she urged the Government to increase its efforts to bring peace to the Middle East.
The Tory MP told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme there has been “too much silence” from the Foreign Office in recent weeks.
“We need to step up,” she said. “We really need to re-engage, we need to make sure that our Arab partners know that we are here and listening and we need our Israeli friends to know we stand completely behind their security.”
She added that the UK must “be a critical friend to both sides”.
Israeli medics and policemen check a damaged car at the scene of a shooting attack, in the Jordan Valley in the Israeli-occupied West Bank
(REUTERS)
The Foreign Office released a statement saying it was “saddened” to hear about the deaths of the two British-Israelis and the “serious injuries sustained by a third individual”.
“The UK calls for all parties across the region to de-escalate tensions,” it added.
Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy said: “I am shocked by reports of the killing of two British sisters in an appalling and cowardly attack in the West Bank.
“My thoughts are with their family and loved ones. More civilian victims of this cycle of violence show the urgent need for diplomatic efforts to de-escalate.”
The Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon came after militants fired nearly three dozen rockets from there.
