IDF confirms settler shot and killed Palestinian man at illegal settlement outpost earlier today

The IDF confirms that an extremist settler activist shot and killed a Palestinian man, and injured three others in an incident at an illegal settlement outpost close to the Palestinian village of Harmala in the Gush Etzion district of the West Bank earlier today.

According to a statement by the army, a “dispute” broke out at the illegal outpost, established in Area B of the West Bank, between “Israeli citizens” at the site, meaning the settlers who established the outpost, and Palestinians.

“During the dispute, an Israeli citizen shot toward [Palestinians] who had gathered in the area. As a result of the shooting, a resident of East Jerusalem was killed and three others were injured,” the IDF says.

IDF forces which arrived at the scene “acted to disperse the dispute, and to evacuate and treat the wounded,” the army adds.

Police said that the suspect was arrested and an investigation was opened.

The army statement says the outpost was established illegally last night “on private Palestinian territory” which was “immediately evacuated” by security forces earlier today, but then unlawfully re-established.

Personnel from the Defense Ministry’s Civil Administration department, protected by IDF and Border Police forces, evacuated the outpost overnight Wednesday. They are expected to do so again in short order.

Palestinian media outlets reported that the slain man was Muhammad al-Malahi, a resident of Sharafat in East Jerusalem, who died of his wounds after being shot in the head by the settler.

Malahi is the seventh Palestinian allegedly killed by settlers — civilians or off-duty reservists — in the past month.