Body of Benjamin Achimeir, 14, found in West Bank; IDF, Shin Bet say he was murdered in terror attack

The IDF has found the body of 14-year-old Benjamin Achimeir, who went missing while shepherding in the West Bank on Friday.

Achimeir was murdered in a terror attack, the IDF and Shin Bet security agency say.

According to the IDF and police, Achimeir set out in the early morning hours of Friday from a farm near the outpost of Malachei Shalom to go shepherding. Hours later, the sheep returned to “Gal Farm” without him.

Malachei Shalom is located near the West Bank town of al-Mughayyir, northeast of Ramallah.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says “the heinous murder” of Achimeir is a “serious crime.”

“I send my heartfelt condolences to his family,” Netanyahu says in a statement published by his office.

“IDF and Shin Bet troops are in an extensive pursuit of the despicable murderers and all those who cooperated with them,” he says.

“We will get the murderers and those who helped them, as we do to anyone who harms the citizens of the State of Israel,” the statement continues.

Netanyahu also “calls on all citizens of Israel to allow the security forces to do their work unhindered.”

Amid the searches yesterday, Israeli settlers rampaged in several Palestinian towns. The settlers set fire to houses and cars and sparked clashes between Palestinians and Israeli soldier that killed a Palestinian man and wounded dozens of others.

Renewed clashes were reported today in the towns of Beitin and Duma, close to Ramallah.

Achimeir’s body was spotted earlier today by a drone operated by the Border Defense Corps’ 636th Combat Intelligence Collection unit, close to the farm where he initially went missing.

The murder was believed to have been carried out by Palestinian terrorists, and taken place in the late morning hours or early afternoon, according to an initial investigation.

Next to the body, troops found personal belongings that were handed over to police for investigation.