Israeli shot dead near illegal Jewish settlement in occupied West Bank

Al-Jazeera  /  May 30, 2023

Palestinian armed group claims responsibility for drive-by shooting in northern occupied West Bank.

An Israeli man has succumbed to his wounds after being shot near the entrance of an illegal Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank, according to Israel’s army.

The drive-by shooting on Tuesday took place close to the settlement of Hermesh, southwest of Jenin. Such settlements are considered illegal under international law.

The man was identified by local media as Meir Tamari, believed to be in his 30s. He was pronounced dead at Hillel Yaffe Medical Center. AFP news agency said he had lived at Hermesh for the past four years, citing a statement by the Shomron Regional Council, the Israeli body that administers settlements in the northern West Bank.

An affiliate of the Fatah-linked Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades said it had carried out the attack to avenge Palestinians killed by Israel.

“This, and other operations to come, will not be the final response to assuage our pain at the passing of our martyrs. Our pain is greater, and so is our revenge,” the Tulkarm Brigades said in a statement.

Israeli forces said they have launched a search for two attackers. They also raided a nearby village where they confiscated footage from CCTV cameras, Al-Jazeera’s Willem Marx reported from West Jerusalem.

Jewish settlers have announced they will hold protests in the West Bank later on Tuesday.

The attack took place as Israel expands near-nightly military raids in the occupied territory under its most right-wing government yet.

Since the start of 2023, Israeli forces have killed at least 158 Palestinians, including 26 children, according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA.

The death toll also includes 36 Palestinians killed by the Israeli army during a four-day assault on the besieged Gaza Strip from May 9 to 13.

Palestinian attacks against Israelis, meanwhile, have killed at least 22 in the same period.

More than 700,000 Jewish settlers live in Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem, which Israel captured in the 1967 War.

SOURCE: AL-JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES

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Israeli killed in shooting attack near West bank Jewish settlement

MEE Staff

Middle East Eye  /  May 30, 2023 Israeli killed in shooting attack near West bank Jewish settelement

Military are searching for two assailants and have erected barriers in area around Hermesh Jewish settlement.

An Israeli civilian was shot dead on Tuesday near a Jewish settlement in the northern occupied West Bank, medics and military officials said.

The Israeli military said the man, identified as Meir Tamari, was shot several times while driving towards the entrance of Hermesh settlement. Tamari, 32, was a resident of the settlement, southwest of Jenin, according to local officials.

It also said troops were searching for two assailants, without identifying them, and have erected barriers in the surrounding area.

An affiliate of the Fatah-linked Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades said it had carried out the attack to avenge Palestinians killed by Israel.

Israeli settlers have called for protests in the West Bank later on Tuesday.

The office of Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said he would “hold a situation assessment together with senior officials in the defence establishment” following the shooting.

Earlier on Tuesday, Israeli forces detained five Palestinians during multiple raids in the West Bank.

The incidents come as Israel’s far-right government increasingly adopts pro-settlement policies in the West Bank, the Naqab (Negev) and the Galilee, to the detriment of Palestinians and Palestinians with Israeli citizenship.

Around 700,000 Jewish settlers  now live in Jewish settlements in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem, which are considered illegal by the international community.

Last week, Israeli settlers from Adei Ad settlement, northeast of Ramallah, attacked Palestinian farmers working their land between Turmus Ayya and Al-Mughayyir villages, in the central West Bank.

Settlers threw stones and fired bullets at farmers, wounding at least five people.

Meanwhile, Israeli troops have also been carrying out near-daily raids in the West Bank since the beginning of the year. 

At least 117 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since January, and a total of 19 Israelis have been killed by Palestinians over the same period.