Palestinians claim that Israeli troops killed man in West Bank
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli troops shot and killed a Palestinian man in the occupied West Bank on Sunday, the Palestinian Health Ministry said, the latest death in a monthslong spiral of violence between Israelis and Palestinians.
The circumstances surrounding the death of the man were not immediately known. Israeli media reported that the man was carrying an open knife and had attempted to stab soldiers near a Jewish settlement.
According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, Ahmad Kahla (45), was identified as the man. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to the request.
Tensions have been high for months in the occupied region, where Israeli forces have been carrying out nightly raids of arrest since last spring. These raids were triggered by a wave Palestinian attacks on Israelis, which killed 19 people. Ten more Israelis were also killed in another string of attacks late last year.
According to the Israeli rights group B’Tselem figures, close to 150 Palestinians were killed in Israeli fire in the West Bank or east Jerusalem in 2022. This year was the most deadly since 2004. According to The Associated Press, 13 Palestinians were killed since the beginning of this year.
Israel claims that most of those killed were militants. But stone-throwers and youths protesting the incursions in Palestine, as well as others not involved with confrontations, were also killed.
Israel claims the raids are intended to destroy militant networks and prevent future attacks. They are seen by the Palestinians as an extension of Israel’s 55-year-old, open-ended occupation of the lands they want for their future independent state.
The 1967 Mideast war saw Israel capture the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. It also captured east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip which are territories that the Palestinians desire for their desired state. Since then, Israel has settled approximately 500,000 people in 130 settlements throughout the West Bank. This is considered a major obstacle to peace by the Palestinians and most of the international community.