Eight residents of Umm al-Kheir arrested overnight after Palestinian activist shot dead in clash with settlers Monday

Eight residents of the Palestinian hamlet of Umm al-Kheir in the South Hebron Hills region were arrested overnight, following an incident on Monday in which activist Awdah Hathaleen was allegedly shot dead by Yinon Levi, a sanctioned, extremist settler who runs an illegal farming outpost in the region.

According to Peace Now, the head of the village was among those arrested.

Activists say that the army entered Umm al-Kheir around 4:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning with two military jeeps to carry out the arrests.

The IDF says it is looking into the reports.

Hathaleen was killed during a confrontation between Levi and residents of Umm al-Kheir.

According to testimony from eyewitnesses reported by the Mekomit news website, Levi’s bulldozer entered the village and began uprooting trees and a fence, leading residents to throw stones at the vehicle.

Levi then exited the vehicle and fired off several shots from his sidearm, one of which struck Hathaleen in the chest, killing him.

A police representative said in a hearing in the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, however, that “it appears” Levi’s life and that of a minor driving the vehicle had been in danger, although further investigative work was needed.

The judge said Levi’s claim of self-defense was backed by two “objective” eyewitnesses.

Levi was released to house arrest until Friday.

Four men arrested for throwing stones at Levi’s bulldozer on Monday remain in detention in the Ofer prison and will be brought to a military court on Thursday.