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Israel settler shot and killed near his illegal outpost in Nablus region

January 10, 2018 at 9:10 am

Settlers march through the streets of occupied East Jerusalem on 31 July, 2017 [Muhammad Smiry/Twitter]

An Israeli settler was shot and killed last night in the Nablus region of the occupied West Bank.

According to reports, shots were fired from a passing car as the settler, Rabbi Raziel Shevach, was driving near to the illegal outpost Havat Gilad where he was a resident.

Following the shooting, Israeli occupation forces carried out raids in nearby Palestinian villages and imposed blanket movement restrictions on residents.

The dead man’s family intend to bury him at Havat Gilad, without official permission, while settler leaders have urged Israeli authorities to retroactively legalise the status of the outpost.

Havat Gilad was established in 2002, and is considered illegal even under Israeli law. Its residents have a long history of attacks on Palestinians and their property, and even violent confrontations with Israeli soldiers. All Israeli settlements are considered illegal under international law.

Read: Israel settler who killed Palestinian farmer acted in ‘self-defence’

While no faction has claimed responsibility for the shooting, Gaza-based spokesperson for Hamas’ Al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Obeida, wrote on his Twitter account: “The attack is a first practical response with fire to remind the leaders of the enemy that what you are afraid of is coming.”

Hamas spokesperson Fawzi Barhoum, meanwhile, described the shooting as “a result of the Zionist occupation violations and a respond to its crimes against our people in the West Bank.”