A Palestinian Killed In West Bank Shooting Incident, Israeli Military Holds Investigation

Illustration of the Israeli-Palestinian border in the West Bank. (Wikimedia Commons /Justin McIntosh)

JAKARTA - The Israeli military announced on Thursday that it was conducting an investigation into the fatal shooting of a Palestinian civilian in the West Bank.

The incident was considered by residents as a murder by the army because the victim was called back from working in Israel.

In a statement, the Israeli military said troops operating on Wednesday near the highway where an Israeli vehicle was hit by a firebomb earlier this week opened fire on a "suspect" who fled the area.

"About 90 minutes later, a civilian with gunshot wounds arrived at an Israeli military checkpoint in critical condition and was treated by medics, but died", the statement quoted Reuters as saying.

Palestinians identified the deceased as a 39-year-old man who lived near the shooting site. They said he could legally work in Israel and was on his way home when he was shot.

"The incident is being reviewed, and is simultaneously being investigated by the Military Police Criminal Investigation Division", the military said.

"The findings will be forwarded to the General Military Advocate Corps for review", the military statement continued.

To note, apart from the Gaza Strip, the West Bank area is also one of the hot spots for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Last Sunday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met with Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz.

It is the first high-level meeting between President Abbas and an Israeli minister to be made public since the new Israeli government under Prime Minister Naftali Bennett was formed in June.

Minister Benny Gantz, who heads the centrist party, told Abbas that Israel would take steps to strengthen the Palestinian economy, according to a statement from his office.

"They also discussed establishing the security and economic situation in the West Bank and in Gaza. They agreed to continue to communicate further on the issues raised during the meeting", the statement said.