RAMALLAH: Israeli settlers shot dead a Palestinian man and injured another during a raid on a village in the northern occupied West Bank on Thursday, according to the mayor and the Palestinian health ministry.
The raid came as international criticism mounts over surging levels of settler violence against Palestinians in the territory, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu downplayed last week.
The Palestinian health ministry said Thursday that 51-year-old Mashhour Yassin was killed "by settler gunfire" in Yasuf, north of Ramallah. Israel's military said it was looking into the details of the attack.
Yasuf mayor Jumaa Abdel Fattah confirmed that dozens of settlers armed with sticks and firearms had attacked the village, which is located between four Israeli settlements, around 1 pm (1100 GMT). "Yassin was at his doorstep when the settlers attacked the village homes. He went out to defend his house," Abdel Fattah said, adding that Yassin's nephew was also injured in the attack.
Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967. More than 500,000 Israelis live in the West Bank in settlements illegal under international law, a minority of whom engage in violence towards Palestinians. — AFP
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