Middle East: UN condemns 'summary execution' in West Bank
Published November 28, 2025last updated November 28, 2025
What you need to know
- UN says killing of two Palestinians by Israeli forces in West Bank was 'an apparent summary execution'
- German government says Friedrich Merz will visit Israel next week for the first time as chancellor
- Syria denounces fatal Israeli raid in southern city of Beit Jin; Israel says operation intended to thwart Jamaa Islamiya attack
- Pope Leo meets Middle Eastern Christian leaders at an event in Turkey
This was a look a the latest developments in Israel, the West Bank, Gaza, Syria and other parts of the Middle East on Friday, November 28. This blog is now closed.
Pope joins patriarchs at historic Christian site in Turkey to pray for unity
Pope Leo XIV joined Orthodox patriarchs and ecumenical leaders Friday in commemorating an important moment in Christian history, gathering at the site in Turkey of an unprecedented AD 325 meeting of bishops to pray that Christians might once again be reunited.
Leo, Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I and other Christian leaders met on the shores of Lake Iznik, the site of the Council of Nicaea that produced a creed, or statement of faith, that is still recited by millions of Christians today.
Standing over the ruins of the site, the men recited the creed, which Leo said was "of fundamental importance in the journey that Christians are making toward full communion."
The prayer marked the highlight of Leo's visit to Turkey and the main reason for his trip, the first of his pontificate.
The Nicaea gathering happened at a time when the Eastern and Western churches were still united. They split in the Great Schism of 1054, a divide precipitated largely by disagreements over the primacy of the pope.
At least 13 dead after Israel conducts operation in southern Syria
At least 13 people have died after Israel conducted an operation in the southern Syrian city of Beit Jin.
Israel said the operation was an effort to target members of the Jamaa Islamiya group. Syria denounced Israel's actions as a "war crime."
UN appalled by 'apparent summary execution' of Palestinians in Jenin
The United Nations on Friday strongly condemned the killings of two Palestinians by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin a day prior. The unarmed Palestinians appeared to be surrendering to the Israeli forces when they were gunned down.
"We are appalled at the brazen killing by Israeli border police yesterday of Palestinian men in Jenin," UN rights office spokesperson Jeremy Laurence told journalists in the Swiss city of Geneva. Laurence labeled the killing "yet another apparent summary execution."
According to Laurence, UN rights chief Volker Türk is urging "independent, prompt and effective investigations in the killings of Palestinians."
The Israeli military and police have said they opened a probe into the incident and said the men who were shot are tied to a "terror network in the area of Jenin."
Ultranationalist Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir expressed "full backing" for the soldiers who were involved in the shooting, saying "terrorists must die."
Germany's Merz to visit Israel, meet with PM Benjamin Netanyahu
The German government announced Friday that German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will visit Israel next week on December 6 and 7.
The visit would be Merz's first to Israel since he became chancellor in May.
Merz will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the trip with the ceasefire in Gaza and other issues on the agenda. The chancellor will later visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial while on the trip.
Germany is a strong ally of Israel, particularly due to the killing of six million Jews by the German Nazi regime from 1933 to 1945. Former Chancellor Angela Merkel earlier said that Israel's security is Germany's Staatsräson or "reason of state."
Germany has supported Israel in its Gaza operation both military and politically following the October 7, 2023 terror attacks by Hamas.
German-Israeli ties became tense earlier this year, when the German government suspended arms exports to Israel which could be used in Gaza. Merz's government had become concerned about Gaza's humanitarian crisis amid Israel's attacks.
In October, a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas went into effect. Earlier this month, the German government said it would reverse its partial weapons deliveries suspension to Israel in light of the Gaza ceasefire.
Welcome to our coverage
This blog will feature the latest developments, analysis, multimedia content and on-the-ground reporting from DW correspondents in the Middle East.
Today the UN has expressed strong condemnation of an Israeli killing of two Palestinians in the West Bank.
The German government also announced that Chancellor Friedrich Merz will visit Israel next week, the first trip to the country since he took office.
Follow along throughout the day for the latest on these topics and others in the region.