Israeli settler killed by Palestinian gunmen in West Bank, a day after clashes in Jenin

According to officials in Israel, gunmen killed a Jewish settler in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday (May 30)while he was driving. The incident also comes a day after Israeli forces killed a Palestinian security officer amid clashes in the West Bank’s city of Jenin, said the Palestinian Fatah faction, the day prior.

The Palestinian armed group linked to President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah faction later claimed responsibility for the shooting on Tuesday and vowed more attacks. Meanwhile, Israel’s Defence Ministry said that the search for the gunmen is underway.

Israeli settler shot on Tuesday

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The Israeli settler was a resident of Hermessettlement,said settlement leader Yossi Dagan, in a statement, which is around six kilometres away from the West Bank, adding that the person was shot in his car when he was driving nearby.

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The Israeli emergency service spokesperson had previously said thatthey are treating acivilian who is approximately 30 years oldandin “serious condition”. The victim was later identified as a 32-year-old man named Meir Tamari who succumbed to his injuries, as per Israeli media reports.

The Palestinian armed group, Fatah-linked Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades later issued a statement, claiming responsibility for the attack and vowed to conduct more such “operations” and said it carried out the attack to avenge Palestinians killed by Israel.

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“This, and other operations to come, will not be the final response to assuage our pain at the passing of our martyrs. Our pain is greater, and so is our revenge,” said the Palestinian group, in a statement, as quoted by Reuters. This comes as Israel has been conducting near-daily military raids in the West Bank in response to an increase in Palestinian attacks.

What happened in Jenin on Monday?

The Fatah faction, on Monday, said that a Palestinian security officer, later identified as Ashraf Sheikh Ibrahim, was killed in the West Bank flashpoint city of Jenin. Meanwhile, the Israeli military said that it came under heavy fire from gunmen while trying to arrest suspected militants in Jenin and retaliated.

The Fatah-linked Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades has claimed that the victim was a member. The clashes on Monday took place asJewish settlers inaugurated a religious school in a dismantled settler outpost in the northern West Bank. The move has since drawn condemnation from Palestinians, while the United States raised concerns.

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A US State Department spokesperson said Washington was “deeply troubled” by the Israeli government’s recent order, which has lifted a ban on settlements in several areas evacuated as part of Israel’s 2005withdrawal actfrom the Gaza Strip.

“The expansion of settlements undermines the geographic viability of a two-state solution, exacerbates tensions, and further harms trust between the parties,” said the US officialandcalledthe move inconsistent with Israel’s commitments, as per Reuters. This comes amid a rise in violence and tensions between Israelis and Palestinians over the past year.

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Since the beginning of this year, nearly 120 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank and East Jerusalem with half of them belonging to armed militant groups, as per a tally by the Associated Press. However, the Israeli military has said that the number of Palestinian militants killed is much higher. Meanwhile, at least 22 Israelis have been killed in attacks by Palestinians.

(With inputs from agencies)

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