NABLUS: Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian in occupied West Bank on Wednesday, the Palestinian health ministry said, in what the army described as a “stabbing attack”.

The ministry said Arref Abdel Nasser Arref Lahlouh, 22, was killed “by Israeli gunfire” near the Palestinian city of Qalqilya.

The Israeli army alleged in a statement Lahlou “attempted to carry out a stabbing attack” near the Jewish settlement of Kdu­mim. “The assailant, arm­ed with a knife, arrived at a military post and attem­pted to stab a soldier at the scene,” the statement added.

Lahlouh was “neutralised by soldiers in the area”, the army added.

Lahlou is the 19th Palestinian killed in the West Bank this month, the majority of whom were shot dead by Israeli forces.

On Wednesday, soldiers entered the Shuafat refugee camp in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem to demolish the home of Udai Tamimi, accused of fatally shooting military policewoman Noa Lazar at a checkpoint in October.

Tamimi was killed by Israeli forces after a 10-day manhunt. Israel regularly demolishes the homes of individuals it blames for attacks on Israelis.

Published in Dawn, January 26th, 2023