Palestinian youth fatally shot by Israeli settlers in Jerusalem area

A Palestinian man was killed and four others injured in an attack by Israeli settlers backed by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank. The incident occurred on Wednesday evening at a village northeast of East Jerusalem, identified as Mukhmas. According to reports, the attackers opened fire, resulting in the death of 19-year-old Nasrallah Abu Siyam.

During the attack, dozens of sheep were also stolen from local Palestinian residents. The incident is part of a recent surge in attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinian towns and villages. Since October 2023, settlers have killed at least 37 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

The head of the Palestinian Authority’s Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, Mu’ayyad Sha’ban, stated that the attack constitutes a “dangerous escalation” in systematic terrorism. He called for international protection for Palestinian communities.

Reports indicate that Mukhmas and an adjacent Bedouin community have faced repeated attacks by Israeli settlers, often with the presence or protection of Israeli forces. The governorate of Jerusalem described the killing as a “fully-fledged crime” carried out under the supervision of Israeli occupation forces.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank since 2023. More than 10,000 people have also been forcibly displaced. Since this year alone, almost 700 Palestinians have been displaced due to settler attacks.

The Israeli government has recently approved a plan to designate large areas of the occupied West Bank as “state property”, shifting the burden of proof to Palestinians to establish ownership of their land. This decision has drawn widespread international condemnation.

Source: Al Jazeera