An IDF soldier on leave was arrested Sunday night after shooting dead a 40-year-old Palestinian man on Saturday during a leafy confrontation between settlers and Palestinians harvesting olives near the community of Rachelim in Samaria.
The Palestinian Health Ministry reports that the fatality was Bilal Muhammad Salah, who was hit in the chest by a bullet.
In an update issued today, the IDF Spokesperson said: "A confrontation developed on Saturday between a number of Palestinians and Israeli civilians near the community of Rachelim in the Samaria Brigade. It is suspected that an IDF soldier on leave used his military weapon and fired shots during the incident, causing the death of a Palestinian. Following the incident, an investigation by the military police was launched. The soldier was arrested last night for interrogation purposes."
Bilal Mohammed Salah, Photo: Arab Networks
Yesterday, a Telegram channel that identifies itself with "Hamas in the West Bank" published a death notice for the Palestinian. The channel also said in a statement that he was "killed by a bullet by an Israeli settler in As Sawiya town in Nablus" during clashes related to the Gaza war. The police opened an investigation. Samaria Council head Yossi Dagan said he backed the shooter and that he was a member of a group that rioted and threw stones at Jews in the area.
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