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World News

Israeli security forces on heightened alert after West Bank protests

Israeli security forces have been put on heightened alert after two Palestinians were killed during protests in the West Bank.

Around 10,000 Palestinians took to the streets overnight to protest at the 17-day conflict in Gaza.

Two were killed in clashes with the Israeli military and police at a checkpoint in Qalandiya, between Jerusalem and Ramallah

Protesters threw rocks and petrol bombs, while tear gas and water canons were deployed the Israeli security forces.

The protest came hours after 15 people were killed when a UN-run school in Gaza, was hit by an artillery shell.

An Israeli army spokesman has suggested militants firing rockets near the school could have caused the deaths.

Meanwhile, according to CatholicCulture.org Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, the Holy See's permanent representative to UN offices based in Geneva, deplored the killing of civilians in the Gaza-Israel conflict and called for an immediate ceasefire.

"The perpetration of injustices and the violation of human rights, especially the right to life and to live in peace and security, sow fresh seeds of hatred and resentment," he said. "The United Nations estimates that approximately 70% of Palestinians killed have been innocent civilians. This is just as intolerable as the rockets missiles directed indiscriminately toward civilian targets in Israel ... Demonizing others, however, does not eliminate their rights."

Quoting Pope Francis, Archbishop Tomasi said that "the time has come for everyone to find the courage to be generous and creative in the service of the common good, the courage to forge a peace which rests on the acknowledgment by all of the right of two states to exist and to live in peace and security within internationally recognized borders."

The United Nations has also made a passionate plea for Israel and Hamas to end their conflict, after the shelling of a UN-run school in the Gaza Strip.

Ban Ki-Moon said: ""you must stop fighting and enter into dialogue. Whatever grievances you may have; this is wrong. Why are you continuing to kill people, there are many other ways to resolve this issue without killing each other."

But Ruth Saunders, Executive Director of the Anglo-Israel Association thinks the media's coverage of the conflict is becoming more one sided, on Premier's News Hour, she said "it's [the media] presenting the Palestinian side more and more and I understand that because there have been many people killed. What they have to explain is that all of these killings are due to what Hamas does. Hamas puts their civilians in harms way all the time."

More than 800 Palestinians and 35 Israelis have now been killed since the conflict began.

Ruth Saunders, Executive Director of the Anglo-Israel Association:

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