A Palestinian man was shot dead by an Israeli during a settler attack on a village in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday evening. A relative said Alaa Khalid Subeih, 28, was killed as he tried to defend a greenhouse from the settlers in Tayasir in the northern West Bank. A senior UN official also said he was killed by a settler. The Israeli military said he was shot by an off-duty soldier and accused him of throwing stones.
Tayasir has been a focus of recent violence by settlers. Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are illegal under international law. The killing came as ex-security chiefs warned that government-sponsored Jewish terrorism was running wild in the West Bank and the Israeli government reportedly approved dozens more settlements.
Tayasir is in an area of the West Bank that is supposed to be under the security control of the Palestinian Authority. Last month, a CNN crew covering violence there was detained by Israeli soldiers. The military later said there was an incident with the CNN team which involved actions and behavior incompatible with what is expected of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
Saeb Subeih, Alaa's cousin, described him as one of the finest young men in the village, and asserted that the settlers were in the area under army protection. He claimed that on Wednesday, a group of settlers raided the village and Alaa was executed after defending a plastic greenhouse that belonged to him.
Alaa's body has still not been returned to his family by the IDF, leading his cousin to declare that returning it is essential for the healing of their family.
Ajith Sunghay, from the UN Human Rights Office in occupied Palestinian territory, noted that his team gathered accounts of the violence, stating it followed a day filled with confrontations, which included injuries from stone throwing between Israeli settlers and Palestinians. Sunghay indicated that Israel's government has provided complete impunity for settlers. The UN reported an increase in settler violence against Palestinians and their property this year, with a significant number of incidents reported across the months.
The BBC also gathered accounts from a Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance crew, denied access to Tayasir by IDF soldiers, who claimed there were no injuries and confiscated their phones and ID cards for hours. They later learned from a local official that Subeih's body was being withheld.
The IDF did not answer specific questions regarding this incident, stating that it is currently under review. Additionally, there is a discrepancy between the IDF's English and Hebrew statements regarding Alaa's status, creating further confusion.
The occurrence comes amid criticism of the Israeli government's tendency to permit settlements to expand and of the vocal right-wing elements within Israeli politics calling for the justification of such actions. Ministers known for encouraging aggressive policies towards Palestinian communities have faced international backlash for their remarks and actions, further complicating the situation on the ground.
Tayasir has been a focus of recent violence by settlers. Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are illegal under international law. The killing came as ex-security chiefs warned that government-sponsored Jewish terrorism was running wild in the West Bank and the Israeli government reportedly approved dozens more settlements.
Tayasir is in an area of the West Bank that is supposed to be under the security control of the Palestinian Authority. Last month, a CNN crew covering violence there was detained by Israeli soldiers. The military later said there was an incident with the CNN team which involved actions and behavior incompatible with what is expected of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
Saeb Subeih, Alaa's cousin, described him as one of the finest young men in the village, and asserted that the settlers were in the area under army protection. He claimed that on Wednesday, a group of settlers raided the village and Alaa was executed after defending a plastic greenhouse that belonged to him.
Alaa's body has still not been returned to his family by the IDF, leading his cousin to declare that returning it is essential for the healing of their family.
Ajith Sunghay, from the UN Human Rights Office in occupied Palestinian territory, noted that his team gathered accounts of the violence, stating it followed a day filled with confrontations, which included injuries from stone throwing between Israeli settlers and Palestinians. Sunghay indicated that Israel's government has provided complete impunity for settlers. The UN reported an increase in settler violence against Palestinians and their property this year, with a significant number of incidents reported across the months.
The BBC also gathered accounts from a Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance crew, denied access to Tayasir by IDF soldiers, who claimed there were no injuries and confiscated their phones and ID cards for hours. They later learned from a local official that Subeih's body was being withheld.
The IDF did not answer specific questions regarding this incident, stating that it is currently under review. Additionally, there is a discrepancy between the IDF's English and Hebrew statements regarding Alaa's status, creating further confusion.
The occurrence comes amid criticism of the Israeli government's tendency to permit settlements to expand and of the vocal right-wing elements within Israeli politics calling for the justification of such actions. Ministers known for encouraging aggressive policies towards Palestinian communities have faced international backlash for their remarks and actions, further complicating the situation on the ground.
