Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Reuters
Reuters
Politics
By Raneen Sawafta

Israeli forces kill Palestinian militant in West Bank

General view of the closed shops during a strike following an Israeli raid in Nablus, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, September 25, 2022. REUTERS/Raneen Sawafta

Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian militant on Sunday during an army operation in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian officials said, in the latest in a series of incidents in recent months around the volatile town of Nablus.

"The Dens of Lions", a Palestinian umbrella group formed of militants from different factions, said the man, Said Al-Kawni, was a "hero of resistance" and died during "clashes with occupation forces".

A driver passes the closed shops during a strike following an Israeli raid in Nablus, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, September 25, 2022. REUTERS/Raneen Sawafta

Medical workers said three other Palestinians were wounded by Israeli gunfire in the incident, which was confirmed by the Israeli military.

"Overnight, during IDF (Israel Defense Forces) routine activity, IDF soldiers spotted armed suspects driving in a vehicle and motorcycle adjacent to the city of Nablus," the military said. "IDF soldiers responded by firing towards the armed suspects. Hits were identified."

The latest in a near-daily series of incidents around Nablus and the nearby town of Jenin underlined once more the volatile security climate on the West Bank as Israel heads towards elections on Nov. 1.

General view of the closed shops during a strike following an Israeli raid in Nablus, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, September 25, 2022. REUTERS/Raneen Sawafta

In Nablus, site of one of the largest refugee camps in the West Bank, most shops were closed on Sunday after militant factions called for a general strike.

About 70 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since the Israeli military launched its Operation Breakwater against militants on March 31 in response to a string of fatal Palestinian street attacks in Israel. The toll includes militants and civilians.

Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid last week called for a revival of long-dormant efforts to secure a two state solution to the conflict, following an appeal last month by U.S. President Joe Biden.

General view of the closed shops during a strike following an Israeli raid in Nablus, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, September 25, 2022. REUTERS/Raneen Sawafta

However, there has been little sign of an end to the clashes and with pre-election polls favouring former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a strong opponent of a two state solution, expectations of any immediate breakthrough are low.

U.S.-brokered peace talks aimed at establishing a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, collapsed in 2014 and the steady expansion of Israeli settlements since then has made reviving the talks increasingly problematic.

Israeli security officials have called on the Palestinian Authority to do more to rein in violence by gunmen associated with factions like Islamic Jihad, which are well entrenched in cities like Jenin and Nablus.

A woman walks past closed shops during a strike following an Israeli raid in Nablus, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, September 25, 2022. REUTERS/Raneen Sawafta

However the Palestinian Authority, increasingly unpopular among many in the West Bank, says its ability to exert its rule has been systematically undermined by Israel.

On Sunday, 30 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails began a hunger strike in protest at their conditions of detention.

(Reporting by Ali Sawafta; Writing by Nidal al-Mughrabi, Editing by Alexandra Hudson)

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.