Israeli forces kill Palestinian in occupied West Bank as violence surges

Following the call this week from Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to appoint the majority of the territory, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian man in the occupied West Bank.

Ahmed Shehadeh, 57, was shot dead near the al-Murabba’a checkpoint in the occupied West Bank on Friday, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, who identified the dead man as Ahmed Shehadeh, 57.

Amid Ahmed, the Red Crescent’s Emergency and Ambulance Center in Nablus, was quoted by the Palestinian news agency Wafa as saying Israeli soldiers had prevented his team from reaching the shooting location.

A man was “hurled a suspicious object” at soldiers operating nearby, according to the Israeli military’s statement, which they “eliminated” after which they “eliminated” him.

Further south, troops carried out numerous raids in Bethlehem, with soldiers reportedly setting up a military checkpoint in the Khalayel al-Louz area southeast of the city, according to Wafa.

Additionally, according to the news agency, soldiers carried out raids on the towns of Artas and al-Ubayyat, where they dug up Palestinians’ posters from Israeli forces.

In addition, Israeli settlers stormed the Masafer Yatta village south of Hebron with knives and sticks, injuring 20 people, including a three-month-old infant.

Nine people were taken to a hospital for treatment, according to Palestinian activist Osama al-Makhmara, who claimed injuries ranged from bruises and fractures to stab wounds.

In the village, Israeli authorities cited “unlicensed construction,” and they destroyed 25 homes, agricultural structures, and water wells four months ago.

Far-right finance minister and settler leader Smotrich, who said on Wednesday that Israel should annex roughly 82 percent of the West Bank, gave Israel’s efforts to expand illegal settlements there a new lease of life.

Smotrich argued that “the Israeli government should have the least number of Palestinian [people] in place of them” and that “it should be subject to Israeli sovereignty for the time being.”

In 150 illegal settlements and 128 outposts spread out across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, more than 700, 000 settlers, or 10% of the population, reside.

Former Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) communications director Xavier Abu Eid reported to Al Jazeera that Israeli flags and settlements can now be seen between Ramallah and Nablus, which is 30-40 kilometers long (18-25 miles).

He claimed that it was obvious that settlers and the Israeli army were creating the maps that Smotrich had presented.

Too little, too late

Smotrich’s maximalist campaign was launched as France, Britain, Belgium, Australia, and Canada all pledged later this month to formally recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Israel’s takeover plans for the entire enclave are being accelerated by its West Bank annexation plans in the background as a result of the diplomatic push.

Finland’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen announced on X on Friday that France and Saudi Arabia are leading the international effort to find a two-state solution. She described it as “the most significant international effort to create the conditions for a two-state solution in a long time.”

A resolution was adopted by the Arab League’s foreign ministers in Cairo the day before that Israel “issued implicit threats to occupy or annex further Arab lands” to prevent peaceful coexistence in the Middle East.

Any lasting resolution, according to the League, must be based on a two-state solution and the Arab Peace Initiative of 2022, which demand Israeli total withdrawal from the 1967-occupied territories.

However, Abu Eid from the PLO claimed that time was running out. Many people believe there is no longer a two-state solution, and he said that the late international recognition of the state of Palestine was once again perceived as too late.

arrests in large numbers

At least 70 people have been detained in dozens of villages over the past week as Israel accedes to more Palestinian territory in the West Bank as a result of its massive arrest campaign.

A “large number of villagers” were detained in the town of Haris, close to Salfit, according to Wafa reports arrests made there by village council head Omar Samara, deputy head of village council Tayseer Kulaib, and deputy head of village council Tayseer Kulaib.

In Qalqilya City, police raided family homes, and they also made an arrest on a man.

Rights groups have long been critical of the Israeli prison conditions in which Palestinians are imprisoned, along with reports of abuse and medical neglect.

Bilal Barghouti, a 39-year-old Beit Rima prisoner serving a life sentence in Israel’s Gilboa prison, was referred to as “slow murder and systematic torture,” according to a statement released by the Palestinian Prisoners’ Media Office.

Former detainees claim that Barghouti, who has a variety of chronic illnesses, has lost weight, been barred from visits, and been subjected to beatings, insults, and scalding with hot water.

Since the start of the Gaza War, Israeli forces have made more than 19, 000 arrests across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, according to The Palestinian Prisoner’s Society, which on Friday reported.

According to its statement, which was obtained by news agency Wafa, the figure does not include arrests in Gaza itself, which are believed to be in the thousands.

Source: Aljazeera