Armed settlers entered Burqa, a herding village east of the city of Ramallah, on Friday night, shooting dead 19-year-old Qusai Matan, Palestinian health officials said.
Israeli media reported that one of the arrested settlers — whose name was not disclosed — used to work as an aide for a lawmaker from Israel’s far-right “Jewish Power” party, which is part of the prime minister’s coalition of ultra-nationalist and ultra-Orthodox parties. Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This coalition includes Itamar Ben-Gvir, a pro-settlement agitator known for his hardline stands against the Palestinians.
The other settler who was arrested was hospitalized after suffering injuries Friday night. Authorities did not provide further details about the charges.
The army said Israeli settlers came to the area to herd sheep, sparking clashes between Israelis and Palestinians from the village. Both sides threw stones at each other, the army said, and the Israelis fired at the Palestinians, leaving Matai dead and four Palestinians and several Israelis injured by stones.
Palestinian officials said the settlers also burned two cars in the village. They also called for the perpetrators to be punished.
The uproar drew criticism from the UK embassy in Israel, which wrote on social media that it was “appalled” by the settler attacks and called for accountability and justice for those involved.
Yair Lapid, an opposition leader in the Israeli parliament, said violent attacks by settlers in the West Bank endanger other settlers, describing the majority as “law-abiding civilians.” He added that the attacks are emboldened by members of Netanyahu’s coalition.
Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 war, along with the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem. The Palestinians want those territories for a future state.
FOUNTAIN: Associated Press
