Israel soldiers, settlers fatally shoot, assault Palestinians

A Palestinian motorist was shot dead by Israeli soldiers who claimed he fired a pistol at the Huwara military checkpoint at the entrance of Nablus, in the occupied West Bank.

However, no Israeli casualties were reported, according to Israeli and Palestinian officials.

A video circulating of the incident shows Israeli soldiers opening fire on a white Hyundai vehicle, which Bilal Adnan Rawajbeh, 29, who was a member of the Palestinian Authority’s security services, was driving.

The Palestinian Red Crescent said in a statement that the Israeli army prevented its medics from accessing the scene and providing first aid to Rawajbeh after he was shot, and that his body is in Israeli custody and could not immediately be retrieved.

This comes as attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank are on the increase. Israeli settlers attacked two elderly Palestinians yesterday evening in Silat Al-Harithiya, northwest of Jenin, reported Wafa news agency.

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The group of settlers pelted the vehicle driving on the Jenin-Nablus road with stones, resulting in the Palestinians, aged 62 and 65, to be severely injured and bruised, and the car being destroyed.

They have been transferred to a hospital for medical treatment.

Attacks, assaults and acts of vandalism are frequently carried out on Palestinian towns and villages in the Israeli-occupied West Bank both by illegal settlers and soldiers.

Between 500,000 and 600,000 Israelis live in Jewish-only settlements across occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank in violation of international law.