Israel army says friendly fire may have killed settler during West Bank clash
An Israeli military probe published Wednesday said that friendly fire may have killed an Israeli settler during a deadly clash with Palestinians in the occupied West Bank last month.
The violence in the Palestinian village of Tell in the northern West Bank in late July left four Palestinians and two Israelis dead, prompting the army to launch an investigation.
"The findings... determined that it is not possible to establish conclusively the cause of CPT (Res.) Benayahu Mellet's fatal injury," the army report read.
Mellet, a settler as well as an army reservist, died shortly after a Palestinian wrestled his rifle from him during the clash between Tell residents and around 20 settlers who had entered the village, the army said.
"He may have been killed either by terrorist fire or by incidental fire during efforts to neutralize the terrorists," the army report read, referring to the local Palestinians.
The army report said that the second Israeli killed, Major Yuval Ezra, was an active duty soldier who was dispatched to break up the clashes.
"The investigation further found that MAJ Yuval Ezra charged toward the terrorist, engaged him at close range and eliminated him. MAJ Ezra fell during the confrontation," the report read.
The army said that the settlers' incursion in Tell, which it characterized as a group hike, "took place without the required coordination and approval from the security authorities".
Tell mayor Walid Zidan told AFP at the time that the settlers' activity was not a hike.
"Israeli soldiers were present and together with the settlers began opening fire... It was the settlers who stormed the village, with the intention of killing, vandalizing and setting property on fire," Zidan said.
Violence by Israeli settlers towards Palestinians in the West Bank has persisted for years, often with little or no legal consequence, but recent months have seen a surge in attacks.
The clash prompted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to vow the establishment of more Israeli settlements in the region, which are illegal under international law, as well as more raids in Palestinian towns and villages suspected of hosting militants.
Tell is located near Havat Gilad, a settlement where Mellet was part of a community defense group.
Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967.
Israeli figures show at least 47 Israelis, including civilians and security personnel, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations since the start of the Gaza war.
According to an AFP tally based on data from the Palestinian health ministry, Israeli soldiers or settlers have killed at least 1,097 Palestinians, including both militants and civilians, over the same period.
Source: Agence France Presse
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