Videos show settlers fatally shooting at Palestinians as Israeli soldiers watch

Israeli human rights group B'Tselem has released two videos showing armed Israeli settlers and masked Zionists fatally shooting Palestinians who did not pose any danger to them, with the Tel Aviv regime’s soldiers standing idly by.

The first clip captured on May 14 shows Israeli forces in the West Bank village of Urif, talking to an armed, shirtless and masked person wearing army pants, after which he fires a few times at the Palestinians.

“It was right in the village, near the houses,” Urif council head Mazen Shehadeh told Israeli newspaper Haaretz, adding that the incident began when some 30 settlers approached the Palestinian village, followed by six or seven soldiers, and started shooting at the Palestinians.

Villagers threw rocks to “protect the houses," he added, asking, "What could we do when the armed settlers come in our direction?”

Shehadeh also said the unidentified shooter took his weapon from one of the Israeli soldiers and was given more ammunition by the military force to use after he ran out.

In the incident, Nidal Sfadi, 26, was killed and 11 others were injured.

According to Shehadeh, the victim was shot about 100 meters from the area where the clip was filmed.

“Every time there is any incident in the area, they come to the village from the direction of Yitzhar [settlement] and look for revenge,” said Shehadeh.

Yitzhar security coordinator, Yitzhak Levy, can be seen in pictures captured at the incident.

In another incident documented on the same day, masked people were filmed standing alongside Israeli forces in the West Bank village of Asira al-Qibliya, one of them throwing stones at a Palestinian.

One settler with his face exposed runs toward Palestinians standing by houses and shoots at them. Later, a Palestinian identified as Husam Asayrah collapses.

Asira council head Hafez Salah said an Israeli soldier shot and killed him.

Meanwhile, the Sicha Mekomit website reported that another Palestinian was shot when Israeli soldiers and settlers entered nearby Palestinian town of Iskaka.

That same day, nine Palestinians were killed across the occupied West Bank in clashes with the Israeli forces.

In one case, Isma’il Tubasi of al-Reiha village was shot dead as he was trying to put out fires lit by settlers.

Two Palestinians witnesses told Israeli media that they saw settlers carrying weapons and a hatchet, and heard shots.

UN rights experts warn of surge in Israeli settler violence against Palestinians

“Already, during the first three months of 2021, more than 210 settler violent incidents were recorded, with one Palestinian fatality.”

Back in April, UN human rights experts warned that violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank has risen markedly in recent months, with assaults and property destruction occurring in an atmosphere of impunity.

They said settler violence was predominantly ideologically motivated and primarily designed to take over land but also to intimidate and terrorize Palestinians. 

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