Israel puts settler suspected of killing Palestinian teen on house arrest

The Israeli occupation authorities yesterday released Elisha Yared, one of the main suspects who are accused of killing 19-year-old Palestinian Qusai Jamal Maatan last Friday in the occupied West Bank village of Burqa, east of Ramallah, and placed him under house arrest.

Israeli TV Channel 13 reported that the Israeli Magistrate’s Court ruled Yared, who lives in the illegal Ramat Migron outpost between Ramallah and Jerusalem, be released from custody and be placed under house arrest.

Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir had ordered that the case be referred to the police so as to speed up Yared’s release. Ben-Gvir also called for giving Yared a medal of honour instead of detaining him.

Channel 12 quoted officials who are familiar with the details of the investigation saying that it would be difficult to convict the accused settler of murder or premeditated murder due to the fact that he was seriously injured which means the incident might be considered a case of self-defence.

Last Friday, extremist settlers attacked the town of Burqa, which resulted in Qusai’s death and the injury of three others.

Seven settlers, including Elisha Yared, were arrested on Saturday and held for questioning.

READ: Israel illegal settler violence erasing entire Palestinian communities, says NGO