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BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- A Palestinian was shot dead by Israeli forces Wednesday near Nablus after allegedly attempting to stab an Israeli soldier, according to Israeli sources.

An Israeli army spokesperson told Ma'an that Palestinians were "hurling stones" from a vehicle near Israel's Ariel settlement on Route 60, when Israeli forces began to chase their vehicle.

During the pursuit, one Palestinian reportedly exited the vehicle and tried to stab an Israeli soldier in the neck. According to the spokesperson, the soldier opened fire on the Palestinian, which "resulted in his death." The Palestinian Ministry of Health confirmed the Palestinian was killed at the scene.

A Ma'an reporter identified the slain Palestinian as Sari Muhammad Abu Ghurab, 24, from the village of Qabatiya in the northern West Bank district of Jenin.

Israeli media reported that the Israeli soldier suffered light wounds during the incident.

Since a wave of unrest swept across the Palestinian territory and Israel in October, at least 219 Palestinians have been killed by Israelis while allegedly carrying out attacks or attempting to carry out attacks on Israeli targets, or during clashes with Israeli forces during raids in Palestinian communities. Scores of Palestinians have also been detained for allegedly possessing knives or attempting to carry out stabbing attacks.

Some 32 Israelis have been killed by Palestinians during the same period.
Israel has come under repeated criticism for failing to carry out due process in response to alleged and actual attacks, particularly in regard to the apparent extrajudicial executions of Palestinians who no longer posed a threat when they were killed.
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by Celine Hagbard for IMEMC News

A 24-year old Palestinian man, Sari Mohammad Abu Gharab, was killed on Wednesday by Israeli troops near Nablus, just two months before he was scheduled to be married.

The Palestinian was shot to death by numerous rounds after allegedly exiting a vehicle that was being chased by an Israeli military vehicle and trying to stab an Israeli soldier.

But photos from the scene show Abu Gharab still seated in the vehicle – not outside the vehicle as Israeli forces claimed.

According to the Electronic Intifada website, “Photos from the scene apparently show Abu Ghurab’s body still seated in the car which he was driving, and soldiers evacuating his body from the vehicle, appear to contradict the army’s account that Abu Ghurab exited the car before he was shot dead”.

No soldiers were injured, but the 24-year old Abu Gharab was shot dead. This killing was criticized by Palestinian sources because of its extrajudicial nature.

Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since last October – most of them killed via extrajudicial assassination, with no charges or trial, in direct violation of international law. During the same time period, 32 Israelis have been killed by Palestinians.

Abu Ghurab was from the village of Qabatia, in the northern West Bank near Jenin.

According to local sources, he was riding in a vehicle that wcar killedas driving on the Israeli Route 60, near the largest settlement in the West Bank, Ariel. Someone from the car allegedly threw a stone toward Israeli soldiers, and the soldiers began following the vehicle.

Then, according to the Israeli military, Abu Gharab got out of the vehicle and tried unsuccessfully to stab an Israeli soldier with a knife. But the photos from the scene contradict the Israeli claim, and show instead that he was inside the vehicle with his hands up when he was shot and killed.