TULKARM: Israeli forces killed a Palestinian man during a raid in the occupied West Bank, his family said on Friday, as mourners gathered for the funeral.
Mahmoud Jihad Jarad, 23, was shot dead by troops during an overnight raid on Tulkarm refugee camp in the northern West Bank, official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.
A family member, Iyad Abdulrahim Jarad, confirmed that his relative was shot after the Israeli army entered the camp.
Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967 and its forces regularly make incursions into Palestinian communities.
The military said “suspects blocked routes and fired toward the soldiers, who responded with live fire” during the raid. In a statement, the army said explosive devices, rocks and fireworks were also used against troops.
Tel Aviv downgrades homicide charge in settler case that US is watching closely
Jarad’s body was shrouded in a Palestinian flag, his head wrapped in a keffiyeh, as he was carried through the streets in a funeral procession.
The latest fatality brings to 214 the number of Palestinians killed in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict so far this year.
Some 28 Israelis, one Ukrainian and one Italian have also been killed, according to an AFP tally compiled from official sources on both sides.
They include, on the Palestinian side, combatants as well as civilians and, on the Israeli side, three members of the Arab minority.
Homicide charge
Israeli police downgraded a homicide charge on Friday against a Jewish settler suspected of killing a Palestinian in what the United States has described as a “terror attack”.
A new remand request filed by police, a copy of which was obtained by Haaretz and
shared with Reuters, showed Yehiel Indore was accused of “deliberate or depraved-indifference homicide” in the Aug 4 shooting of 19-year-old Qusai Maatan.
But unlike in previous remand requests in the case, he was no longer accused of acting out of “racist motivation” — an addendum which, under Israeli law, gives courts latitude to impose harsher punishment in the event of a conviction.
Washington, whose traditionally close ties with Israel have become strained, has described the incident as a “terror attack by Israeli extremist settlers”.
There was no immediate confirmation of the amended charge from police, headed by far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
Police detained two settlers in last Friday’s incident near Burqa village and said an investigation of the case was ongoing, though there has been no formal indictment.
Palestinians said the suspects were part of a group of some 150-200 settlers who threw rocks, torched cars and, when confronted by villagers, shot dead Maatan and wounded several others.
A defence lawyer said the settlers — including Indore, who remains in hospital due to a head injury he says was caused by a rock thrown at him — acted in self-defence.
On Thursday, a military court ordered a Palestinian father and three of his sons who were detained over the settler raid to be released on bail.
The US Embassy in Israel had no immediate comment on Friday’s development.
Published in Dawn, August 12th, 2023
