IDF rejects settlers’ claims about shooting of Palestinian: False to say troops dawdled

The Israel Defense Forces strenuously denies troops were slow in arriving to the West Bank town of Burqa last night, where a Palestinian was killed in clashes with settlers, two of whom were arrested over the shooting.

“The claims that the IDF and security forces dawdled are not true and a false representation,” a statement from the IDF says, pushing back on the settlers’ version of events.

According to the IDF, the sides first began gathering at Burqa around 7 p.m., and at 8:07 p.m., the military received an initial Palestinian report of a clash in the area.

Troops were then dispatched to the scene, but were unable to find it “because the location they received was wrong,” the IDF statement said.

At 8:52 p.m., the military said it first heard from settlers about fighting between Palestinians and residents of nearby the Oz Zion outpost.

The IDF said soldiers received the proper coordinates seventeen minutes later and arrived at the scene at 9:20 p.m., “after the shooting.”