A Palestinian, allegedly disguised as a security guard, has reportedly opened fire at illegal Jewish settlers in one of the West Bank’s largest settlements.
Six Israeli Jewish settlers were reportedly wounded in a shooting attack near the illegal settlement of Maale Adumim in occupied East Jerusalem.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health said that a young Palestinian, Muhannad al-Mazar’ah, was shot dead by Israeli occupation troops near the Maale Adumim settlement.
It is believed that al-Mazar’ah was the alleged shooter near the illegal settlement.
Israeli Army Radio said that the attacker may have impersonated a security guard at the settlement, and used an M-16 automatic rifle.
Israel’s Channel 12 said the attacker “is a worker at a commercial center inside Maale Adumim” and has impersonated a security guard. For its part, the Israeli police said that “the one who has ‘eliminated’ the person who carried out the operation is a member of the border police.”
Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth also claimed that Muhannad al-Mazar’ah, 20, is the attacker, reporting that the young Palestinian was a resident of the town of al-Azariya, in Jerusalem.
Six Israeli Jewish #settlers were reportedly wounded in a shooting attack near the illegal #settlement of #MaaleAdumim in occupied East #Jerusalem . pic.twitter.com/JYSjXOp4mc
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) August 1, 2023
Meanwhile, right-wing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly following the developments along with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Far-right Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir used the opportunity to emphasize the importance of arming as many Israelis as possible, saying that the practice, of arming Israelis, is very important and needed.
Concurrently, Palestinian Resistance groups Hamas, the Islamic Jihad, and the socialist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine have all commended the attack, describing it as self-defense and a legitimate act of resistance against the Israeli occupation and daily attacks by armed settlers.
“This operation is an expression of the consciousness of the Palestinian and his awareness of his roots, identity, and the nature of the ongoing conflict against the enemy in defense of our very existence and of our land.”
Maale Adumim is one of the largest illegal Jewish settlements in the West Bank. It was established in 1975, east of the occupied city of Jerusalem, and has been in constant expansion ever since.
With the killing of al-Mazar’ah, the number of Palestinians killed in the West Bank has risen to over 200, including 37 children and 11 women, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.Occupied Jerusalem has been experiencing increased tensions and violence as a result of Israeli army and settler raids and pogroms, targeting Palestinian towns and refugee camps throughout the West Bank.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
