Palestinian shot, seriously injured by Israeli army

A 17-year-old Palestinian has been critically injured after being shot by Israeli forces this morning, following a suspected resistance attack in the occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian Information Centre.

The young man was accused of ramming his car towards two Israeli settlers at Efrat Junction and then at Gush Etzion Junction, in the south of occupied Bethlehem. He was then shot by the army as he headed towards a group of soldiers; the military maintains that he attempted to stab soldiers before they shot him.

Israeli doctors confirmed that both settlers who were hit suffered mild to moderate injuries. The army subsequently closed the area, blocking all access to Palestinians.

The Palestinian driver, reportedly from the village of Halhoul, was severely wounded and was transported to hospital in occupied East Jerusalem for treatment, where he remains in a critical condition.

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Israeli forces regularly shoot Palestinians that they suspect of carrying out resistance attacks, even if eyewitness accounts point to the contrary.

At the end of last month, Israeli occupation forces opened fire on a Palestinian driver near the illegal settlement of Halamish, leaving the driver dead and his sister with a shoulder injury.

Despite many such incidences of unprovoked attacks on Palestinian, a culture of impunity with the Israeli military means no one is held accountable.

Israeli authorities also routinely seal entire villages following Palestinian attacks or alleged attacks and demolish the family homes of the perpetrators; one of many measures implemented as a form of collective punishment. Amnesty International is among numerous human rights organisations that have condemned such policies, which impact families for years after an attack occurs.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has increased the demolitions of Palestinian homes since 2015. The move is justified as part of a policy of deterrence, despite previous military committee statements that such actions do not prevent attacks.

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