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Israel plans punitive measures against Palestinians after shooting attack

(With SEC-MIDEAST-SHOOTING) GAZA, Dec 13 (KUNA) -- The Israeli government on Thursday made a decision to take a series of punitive measures against Palestinian people and expand settlement in the West Bank after the killing of two Israelis in a shooting attack near the West Bank city of Ramallah today.
Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu held several security meetings with officials and determined to accelerate the destruction of homes of Palestinians, who carried out operations against Israelis, within 48 hours, and continue detaining them and their cells' members, Yediot Aharonot reported, citing a press release of Netanyahu's office. There will be administrative arrests against some members of Hamas in the West Bank and Jerusalem, it said.
The Israeli troops will set siege on Al-Bireh city and withdraw work permits from the families of the attackers and their assistants, in addition to making adjustment of position of thousands of settlement units, which have not been approved, it made clear.
Legal adviser to the Israeli government called for taking steps to help build 82 new settlement units in Ofra.
Meanwhile, tens of settlers protested in eastern Ramallah, calling on the Israeli army to retaliate severely against Palestinians, Palestine's news agency (Wafa) reported.
The settlers chanted racist slogans against Arabs and called for preventing them from passing through a main street, the agency added.
Furthermore, Palestine Red Crescent Society said some 69 Palestinians were injured in clashes with the Israeli troops in separate areas of the occupied West Bank.
Earlier in the day, a gunman shot dead two Israelis and wounded two others near the West Bank town of Ramallah on Thursday, the Israeli Army said. An army spokesman said the two wounded were in critical condition. (end) wab.hm