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 stated he was killed by a settler.
The Israeli military reported that he was shot by an off-duty soldier, who accused him of throwing stones.
Tayasir has become a focal point of recent violence perpetrated by settlers. Notably, Israeli settlements in the West Bank are considered illegal under international law.
This incident reflects broader concerns about escalating violence, as ex-security chiefs have warned that government-sponsored 'Jewish terrorism' is rampant in the West Bank, coinciding with the Israeli government's approval of numerous new settlements.
Tayasir lies in an area where security is ostensibly under the Palestinian Authority's control. Reports indicate that last month, a CNN team covering violence in the region was detained by Israeli forces.
Saeb Subeih described his cousin Alaa as a 'fine young man' who was executed while trying to protect his family’s property. He lamented that Alaa's body has not yet been returned to his family, stating that only its return could alleviate their pain.
The UN Human Rights Office highlighted that settler violence against Palestinians has markedly increased in recent months, with over 148 incidents reported in January alone. A member of the Palestinian Red Crescent stated they were blocked from accessing the village at the time of the incident by IDF soldiers.
In light of this tragic shooting and ongoing settler violence, many are calling for accountability and action against the backdrop of a conflicted socio-political landscape in the occupied territories.
